THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 


BEQUEST  OF 
PROFESSOR  JOHN  S.  P.  TATLOCK 


THE 


HYMN  OF  HILDEBERT 


AND    OTHER 


MEDIAEVAL     HYMNS 


WITH    TRANSLATIONS 


BY   ERASTUS   C.   BENEDICT 


NEW  YORK 

ANSON  D.  F.  RANDOLPH 
l867 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  j-ear  1S6T,  \>y 
ANSON   I).  F.  RANDOLPH, 

In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States  for  the 
District  of  Xe\v  Torn. 


LOAN  STACK 


GIFT 


BRADSTREET  PRESS. 


r-H 


PREFACE. 


THESE  translations  have  been  the  agreeable  labor  of 
occasional  hours  of  leisure.  Several  of  them  have  at 
different  times,  during  the  last  fifteen  years,  appeared  in 
public  journals,  literary  and  religious,  and  the  favorable 
mention  made  of  some  of  them  has  induced  me  to  collect 
those  which  have  been  published,  and  to  add  some  others, 
including  the  Hymn  of  Hildebert  to  the  Trinity.  Of  some 
of  them,  previous  translations  are  numerous  and  excel 
lent. 

In  making  this  selection,  my  aim  has  been  to  bring 
together  such  a  variety  of  hymns  and  topics  as  should,  in 
small  compass,  exhibit  the  evangelical  faith  and  character 
of  those  eminent  and  devout  men,  whose  light  shone  so 
purely  in  that  period  of  Christianity  which  we  call  the 
Middle  Ages ;  their  ideas  of  God  and  his  attributes,  of 
the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Spirit ;  their  knowledge 
of  the  Scriptures;  their  exhaustive  treatment  of  their 
topics,  and  their  modes  of  thought  and  expression,  so 


347 


IV  PREFACE. 

simple  and  unpretentious.  I  was  also  especially  influ 
enced  by  a  desire  to  exhibit  that  oneness  of  evangelical 
faith,  and  that  Christian  union  in  the  great  characteristic 
and  essential  elements  of  our  holy  religion,  which  enables 
us  to  acknowledge  our  brotherhood  with  these  simple- 
minded,  cultivated,  and  sanctified  men,  who  devoted  their 
lives  to  religion  as  it  was  presented  by  the  Saviour  and 
his  sacred  family,  and  their  early  successors,  appealing  to 
the  heart  instead  of  to  the  senses,  and  manifesting  itself 
in  great  but  simple  and  intelligible  truths,  and  not  in 
forms  and  rites,  and  ceremonies  and  vestments.  I  make 
little  account  of  the  fact  that  they  may  have  believed 
something  which  I  cannot  believe,  and  may  have  used  a 
ritual  and  liturgy  which  I  disapprove.  I  never  stop  to 
think  that  the  authors  of  the  "Imitation  of  Christ,"  of  the 
"Holy  Living  and  Dying,"  of  the  "Pilgrim's  Progress," 
held  to  points  of  faith,  and  used  rites  and  modes  of  worship 
different  from  mine,  any  more  than  I  do  that  the  holy 
apostles  themselves,  who  were  with  the  Lord  continually, 
and  listened  to  those  daily  teachings  which  drew  such 
crowds  of  hearers,  and  who  saw  all  his  miracles,  were, 
even  after  the  resurrection,  still  ignorant  of  the  nature 
of  his  kingdom,  of  his  sacrifice,  and  of  his  great  salva 
tion. 

I  make  no  apology  for  the  simplicity  and  naturalness 
of  these  translations.     It  would  have  been  less  laborious 


PREFACE.  V 

and  difficult,  to  make  translations  which,  to  certain  tastes, 
would  have  been  more  agreeable,  and  would  have  seemed 
more  poetical — expanded  paraphrases — English  hymns 
founded  upon  the  Latin  ones,  intensified  by  epithets  and 
ornamented  with  imagery.  My  own  taste,  however, 
found  a  great  charm  in  the  great  simplicity  and  brevity 
of  the  originals,  and  I  preferred  to  translate  those  striking 
qualities.  I  have  accordingly  kept  the  English  version 
within  the  length  of  the  Latin  original,  and  have  en 
deavored  to  perform  this  task,  certainly  difficult,  and 
sometimes  said  to  be  impossible,  without  sacrificing  ease 
in  versification,  or  the  meaning  and  spirit  of  the  original. 
How  far  I  have  succeeded  must  be  left  to  the  judgment 
of  others. 

In  most  cases  also  I  have  adopted  the  stanza  and 
measure  of  the  original,  and  the  double  rhymes  and  dac 
tylic  terminations  so  common  with  those  Latin  hyiimolo- 
gists.  I  do  not  share  the  opinion  sometimes  expressed, 
that  in  our  language  such  rhymes  are  inconsistent  with 
the  dignity,  gravity,  arid  tenderness  which  may  be  ex 
pressed  by  them  in  Latin,  and  without  which  sacred 
hymns  would  lose  their  character.  To  this  opinion,  per 
haps,  may  be  attributed  the  fact,  that  in  the  English 
version  of  the  psalms  by  Dr.  Watts,  there  are  no  double 
rhymes,  except  three  couplets  in  his  translation  of  the 
Fiftieth  Psalm,  and  in  the  versions  of  Tate  and  Brady, 


VI  PREFA  CE. 

and  of  Stcrnhold  and  Hopkins  none,  and  that  the  earlier 
translations  of  the  Dies  Irw  were  made  in  single  rhyme. 
Many  of  the  more  recent  ones,  however,  are  made  with 
double  rhvme,  and  I  apprehend  that  the  opinion  is  now 
general  that  the  true  spirit  and  solemnity  of  that  great 
hymn  are  better  exhibited  in  some  of  the  double  rhyme 
translations  than  they  are  in  any  others.  When  the  line 
is  trochaic,  the  trochaic  ending  preserves,  instead  of  im 
pairing,  the  tone  and  feeling  of  the  lines — which  may  be 
expressive  of  any  sentiment,  however  grave  or  tender. 
Many  of  the  sweetest  and  most  devotional  hymns  in  our 
language,  are  in  double  rhyme,  and  I  need  refer  only  to 
the  grace  and  dignity,  as  well  as  tenderness  and  strength, 
with  which  "Wesley  and  Heber  and  others,  use  the  double 
rhyme,  to  show  the  truth  of  these  remarks.  I  am, 
indeed,  by  no  means  certain  that  the  double  rhyme  may 
not  in  the  end,  prove  to  be  the  higher  and  better  style  of 
versification  and  rhythm.  I  incline  to  the  belief  that 
there  is  in  it  a  more  graceful  cadence,  a  more  flowing  and 
easy  transition,  and  a  more  unbroken  harmony,  than  in 
the  sometimes  crisp  and  sharp  ending  of  the  single  rhyme. 
It  is  surprising  that  Milton,  who  used  rhvme  with  ad 
mirable  skill,  should  speak  of  it  as  the  invention  of  a 
barbarous  age,  to  set  off  wretched  matter  and  lame  metre. 
In  the  universality  of  rhyme,  as  in  the  further  fact  that  it 
is  peculiar  neither  to  the  rudeness  of  an  early  and  bar- 


PREFACE.  VI 1 

barous  age,  nor  to  the  over-refined  ingenuity  of  a  late 
and  artificial  one,  but  runs  through  whole  literatures,  wo 
find  its  best  defence,  and  the  evidence  that  it  lies  deep  in 
our  human  nature,  since  otherwise  so  many  peoples 
would  not  have  lighted  upon  it,  or  so  inflexibly  main 
tained  it ;  for  no  people  has  ever  adopted  an  accentual 
rhythm  without  also  adopting  rhyme,  which  only  in  weak 
and  indistinct  beginnings  makes  its  first  appearance,  and 
with  advancing  refinement,  poetical  cultivation,  and  per 
fection  of  language,  rises  to  its  highest  excellence.  It 
has  been  well  said,  that  rhyme,  well  managed,  is  one  of 
the  most  pleasing  of  all  inventions  for  entertaining  the 
mind — constantly  raising  expectation,  and  as  often  satis 
fying  it.  The  ear  anticipates  the  sound  without  knowing 
what  the  sound  would  express.  This  expectation  and  its 
gratification  are  a  constant  pleasure,  different  from  that 
conveyed  by  the  thought,  but  always  playing  about  it, 
and  in  harmony  with  it — like  music,  adorning  and  intensi 
fying  it.  It  is  hardly  to  be  believed  that  the  classical 
versification  could  be  native  or  vernacular  to  any  people, 
and  it  is  not  more  easy  to  believe,  that  if  it  had  been 
natural  to  the  Romans,  it  would  have  so  easily  retired 
before  that  rhythmical  versification  which  supplanted  it. 
It  is  worthy  of  remark,  in  this  connection,  that  all  those 
peoples,  which  in  our  day  are  spoken  of  as  the  Latin  rice, 
to  distinguish  them  from  the  Gothic  and  Sclavic  races, 


PREFACE. 

have  their  poetical  literature  characterized  by  rhythmical 
and  accentual  versification  and  by  rhyme,  arid  that  the 
metres  of  Virgil  and  Horace  and  Catullus  have  given 
place  to  rhyme  and  accent,  even  in  the  Italian  peninsula. 

Of  some  of  these  hymns  (some,  indeed,  which  have 
been  better  translated  by  others)  I  have  made  more 
than  one  translation.  "Without  assigning  any  satisfac 
tory  reason  why  I  should  thus  be  willing  to  come  into 
comparison  with  others  of  established  reputation,  I  may 
say  that  the  reason  which  would  induce  me  to  make  one 
translation  might  well  induce  me  to  make  several — differ 
ent  tastes  being  gratified  by  various  forms  of  presenting 
the  same  thoughts.  As  to  the  translations  of  the  Dies 
Tree,  I  will  also  say  that  the  second  in  order  was  published 
many  years  ago,  before  the  thought  of  using  English 
double  rhyme  for  so  serious  a  purpose,  had  entered  my 
mind.  The  third  was  afterwards  written  in  double  rhyme, 
and,  finally,  the  other  was  the  result  of  an  attempt  to  use 
nothing  but  the  Gothic-English  language,  discarding  en 
tirely  the  use  of  Latin  derivatives.  This  one  being  more 
agreeable  to  my  taste,  I  have  given  it  the  first  place. 

All  these  early  Latin  hymns  were  written  before  the 
invention  of  printing,  and  copies  were  often  taken  down 
from  memory  or  learned  from  oral  tradition,  which,  doubt 
less,  furnishes  the  reason  why,  sometimes,  one  or  more 
stanzas  are  omitted  in  some  copies,  and  why  the  arrange- 


PREFACE.  IX 

merit  of  tho  stanzas  differs,  in  different  copies  of  the  same 
hymn.  I  have  followed  what  seemed  to  me  the  best 
authority  for  the  text,  and  I  have  not  hesitated  to  adopt 
the  arrangement  of  the  stanzas  which  seemed  to  me  the 
most  forcible  and  beautiful.  In  like  manner  I  have  also 
substituted  a  word  and  changed  the  arrangement  of  words 
in  a  line,  where  the  rhythm  so  plainly  demanded  it  as  to 
compel  the  belief  that  such  was  the  author's  arrange 
ment. 

I  have  preceded  most  of  the  hymns  with  a  brief  sketch 
of  the  supposed  author,  or  a  sort  of  argument  of  the 
hymn,  or  brief  commentary  upon  it.  I  am,  however, 
far  from  believing  that  the  authorship  of  them  is  thus 
attributed  on  sufficient  evidence  in  all  cases.  There  is 
nardly  one  that  has  not  been  attributed,  with  equal  confi 
dence,  to  more  than  one  author,  and  there  are  few  of  them 
whose  authorship  can  be  considered  as  settled,  on  evidence. 

A  word  more  as  to  the  thread  by  which  these  hymns 
are  here  connected — so  slight  that,  perhaps,  it  might  not 
be  perceived,  unless  it  were  pointed  out.  The  Christian 
faith,  life,  and  hope,  founded  upon  the  being  and  attri 
butes  of  God;  the  birth,  teachings,  sufferings,  death, 
resurrection,  ascension,  and  commemoration  of  our  Lord, 
and  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  are  exhibited  in  the 
order  which  I  have  adopted,  while  the  doctrines  of  faith 
and  grace,  and  the  spirit  of  devotion,  animate  the  whole. 


X  PREFA  CE. 

The  careful  and  learned  remarks  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  -Wil 
liams  in  his  "Miscellanies,"  p.  72,  of  Dr.  Coles  in  his 
"Dies  Ira,"  of  Dr.  Schaff  in  his  "New  Stabat  Mater," 
of  Dr.  Neale  in  his  "Mediaeval  Hymns,"  and,  above  all, 
the  Preface,  Introduction,  and  notes  of  Archbishop 
Trench  in  his  "Sacred  Latin  Poetry,"  are  worthy  of 
careful  study  by  all  who  desire  to  be  informed  on  the 
subject  of  Latin  hymnology.  I  have  read  them  with 
the  greatest  interest,  and  have  borrowed  much  from  them, 
as  well  in  this  preface  as  elsewhere,  for  which  I  desire 
to  make  this  acknowledgment,  because  I  have  almost 
always  neglected  to  do  so  in  the  text  of  my  remarks. 


MEDIAEVAL  HYMNS 


HILDEBERT. 

HILDEBERT  DE  LAVARDix  was  a  Frenchman.  He  was 
born  in  1057  and  was  educated  in  the  highest  scholarship 
and  culture  of  his  time,  having  studied  under  Beranger 
and  St.  Hugh  of  Cluny  whose  life  he  wrote.  He  was 
consecrated  Bishop  of  Mans  in  1097,  and  in  1125  became 
Archbishop  of  Tours  and  was  one  of  the  great  ornaments 
of  the  French  Roman  Catholic  Church.  All  the  authors 
of  that  period  speak  in  his  praise.  It  was  commonly  said 
of  him, 

Inclytus  et  prosa  versuque  per  omnia  primus, 
Hildebertus  olet  prorsus  ubique  rosam. 

His  Hymn  to  the  Trinity  is  every  way  worthy  of  him. 
It  is  characterised,  equally,  by  harmony  and  grace  and 
by  sententious  brevity.  Its  fullness  and  discrimination 
as  a  theological  essay  and  its  easy  and  familiar  use  of 
Scriptural  allusion,  are  quite  as  remarkable  as  its  gentle 
spirit  of  devotion  and  its  poetical  animation,  in  which  it 
has  been  said  to  equal  the  very  best  productions  which 
Latin  Christian  poetry  can  anywhere  boast. 

The  Poem  has  a  sort  of  epic  completeness  ;  its  Begin 
ning — the  knowledge  of  God — Fides  orthodoxa — the  true 
creed,  as  to  the  Three  Persons  of  the  Holy  Trinity — ex 
hibiting  their  attributes,  as  the  foundation  of  the  Christian 
character ;  its  Middle — the  weakness,  the  trials  and  the 
temptations  of  the  Christian  life,  in  its  progress  to  perfect 
trust  and  confidence  in  God  and  assurance  of  His  final 
grace ;  its  End — the  joys  and  glories  of  the  Heavenly 
Home  of  the  blessed. 

1 


HILDEBERTI    HYMNUS. 

ORATIO    DEVOTISSIMA 

AD    TRES    PERSONAS    SANCTISSIM^    TRINITATIS. 

AD    PATREM. 

SUplja  ct  Q,  magne  Ueus ! 
IEU!  Eli!  Beus  metis,— 
(Cujus  blrtus,  totum  posse; 
CTujus  sensus,  totum  no$ge; 
ffiu|uj3  rsse,  gummum  bonum ; 
fflujus  opus,  (itiicquftf  bonum, 

Super  cuncta,  gubter  cuucta ; 
iExtra  cuncta,  iutra  cuncta. 

Jntra  cuncta,  ncc  inclusug ; 
iSxtra  cuncta,  ncc  txtlu#\i& ; 
Super  cuncta,  nee  elatus ; 
Subter  cuncta,  nee  substratum. 

Super  totus,  pr^siienlio ; 
Subter  tntus,  sustinentro ; 
iHxtra  totus,  complectentro; 
Jntra  totus  es,  tmplentro. 

Jntra,  ntinquam  coarctarts ; 


HYMN    OF   HILDEBERT. 

AN  ADDRESS  TO  THE  THREE  PERSONS  OF  THE  MOST  HOLT 
TRINITY. 


TO  THE  FATHER. 


Father,  God,  my  God,  all  seeing ! 
Alpha  and  Omega  being — 
Thou  whose  power  no  limit  showeth 
Thou  whose  wisdom  all  things  knoweth, 
God  all  good  beyond  comparing— 
God  of  love  for  mortals  caring — 

Over,  under,  all  abounding, 
In  and  out  and  all  surrounding — 

Inside  all,  yet  not  included, 
Outside  all,  yet  not  excluded, 
Over  all,  yet  not  elated, 
Under  all,  yet  not  abated — 

Thou  above — Thy  power  ordaining— 
Thou  beneath — Thy  strength  sustaining — 
Thou  without — the  whole  embracing — 
Thou  within — Thy  fullness  gracing. 

Thee  within,  no  power  constraineth — 


HILDEBERTI  HTMNUS. 

35.rtra,  nunquam  fcilataris. 
Super,  nullo  sustentaris  ; 
^uhter,  mil  to  fatigaris. 

jttunlrum  mobens,  non  moberis; 
ILocum  tenens,  non  teneris  ; 
&empus  mutant,  non  mutatis; 
I7aga  firmans,  non  bagaris. 
Vi$  externa,  bel  ntttsst, 
|lon  alternat  tuum  t$#t. 

nostrum,  eras  tt  prttrem, 

ttbt  nunc  tt  tirem, 

3eus,  ijoiiernum 
Jntribisum,  semptternum  ; 
Jn  ijoc,  totum  pr^bttiisti, 
Sotum  stmul  pcrfectsti 
Etr  exemplar  summaD  mentis, 
dFormam  pr&stans  elementis. 

AD    FILIUM. 


eoa^qualts, 
eonsutstantialts, 
13atrts  splentror,  et  figura, 
jFaetor  (aetus  ereatura, 
ffiarnem  nostram  inlrutsti, 
(ffausam  nostram  suseepisti. 
S^tttpiternus,  temporalts; 
iHflortturus,  Immortal  is  ; 
Uerus  ijomo,  berus  JUeus; 
impermixtus 


IIYMN  OF  HILDEBERT.  5 

Thou  without,  no  freedom  gaineth — 
Over  all,  Thee  none  sustaineth, 
Under  all,  no  burden  paineth. 

Moving  all,  no  change  Thou  knowest — 
Holding  fast,  Thou  freely  goest. 
Changing  time,  Thou  art  unchanging 
Thou  the  fickle  all  arranging. 
Force  and  fate  whichever  showing 
Are  but  footsteps  of  Thy  going, 
Past  and  future  to  us,  ever 
Are  to  Thee  but  now  forever. 
Thy  to-day,  with  Thee  abiding 
Endless  is,  no  change  dividing — 
Thou,  in  it,  at  once  foreseeing 
All  things,  by  Thee  perfect  being, 
Like  the  plan  Thy  mind  completed, 
When  creation  first  was  meted. 

TO  THE  SON. 

Son,  the  Father's  equal  ever, 
From  His  substance  changing  never, 
Like  in  brightness  and  in  feature, 
Though  creator,  still  a  creature, 
Thou  our  human  body  worest 
Our  redemption  too  Thou  borest. 

Endless,  still  Thy  time  declaring, 
Deathless,  though  Thy  death  preparing, 
Man,  and  God,  divided  never, 
Thou  Man-God,  unmixed  forever, 


HILDEBERTI  HTMNUS. 

conbersus  ijic  in  carnem, 
flee  minutus  propter  carnem  ; 
J£jic  assumptus  est  in  33eum, 

tec  consumptus  propter  IB  cum  ; 
atri  eompar  liettate, 
HfUuor  carnig  beritate* 
33eug  pater  tantum  Bei, 
17irgo  mater  e^t,  setr  33  ei. 

Jn  tarn  noba  Ugatura 
£it  utraque  ^tat  natura, 
23t  eon^erbet  ciuicquilr  erat, 
4faeta  quitftam  quolr  non  erat. 

jste  Ijfleiiator, 
noter  legig  iator  ; 


tumulatus, 
et  ftescentrlt, 

et  ascentrtt  ; 
g>te  atr  ccelcis  elebatu^, 
Jutrteattt  jutrtcatuie;. 

AD    SPIRITUM. 

^aracletuie;,  mereatug, 
factug,  tuque 
oitgprjB;  geuttoq[ue, 
procetrit  aft  utroque, 
fit  sit  minor  potentate, 
JTtrc  trbcretus  qualttate. 
©uanti  till,  tantug  iste  ; 


HYMN  OF  HILDEBERT. 

God  is  not  to  flesh  converted, 
Nor  by  flesh  the  God  perverted — 
God  in  human  form  appearing, 
Never  human  weakness  fearing — 
With  the  Father  equal  being 
Fleshly  weakness  disagreeing, 
God  the  God  begetting  solely, 
Virgin  both  conceiving  wholly. 

In  this  union,  thus  created, 
Both  the  natures  there  are  mated. 
Each  its  own  existence  taking, 
Both  a  new  existence  making. 

He,  alone  our  Intercede!1, 
Our  Lawgiver  and  our  Leader, 
He  the  law  and  Gospel  heeded, 
To  the  cross  and  grave  proceeded, 
There  He  slept  and  there  descended, 
There  He  rose  and  then  ascended. 
Judged  on  earth — in  heaven  He  liveth, 
And  the  world  its  judgment  giveth. 

TO  THE  HOLY  SPIRIT. 

Comforter,  denominated, 
Never  born  and  not  created, 
Both  the  Son  and  Father  knowing — 
Spirit  from  them  both  outgoing, 
Thus  in  power  their  equal  being 
And  in  quality  agreeing, 
Great  as  they,  He  still  rernaineth, 


HILDEBERTI  HTMNUS. 

©ualrs  jilt,  talis  iste  ; 
35x  quo  tilt,  e.r  tune  iste; 
(Quantum  (lit,  tantum  iste. 

JJater  alter,  self  gignentro; 
flatus  alter,  sett  naseenfro  ; 
jflamen,  at  ijis  proeetjentro  ; 
Eres  sunt  unum, 
©utspe  trium  plenum 

tres  tarn  en  301, 
Ijoe  Beo,  Deo  hero, 
et  unum  a^ieieliero  ; 
usicp  unttatem, 
3Ht  perieionig  trinttatem. 
;?)n  per^onig,  nulla  prior, 
a  major,  nulla  nitnor; 
JtnaqiuT(iue  temper  ipsa, 
it  e^t  eonstang  atque  fixa, 
nee  in  ge  barietur, 
in  ulla  tran^mutetur* 


tst  fitieg  orrijoioxa, 
flpn  l)fe  error  gine  noia, 
^ieut  trieo,  sie  et  eretio, 
jBiec  in  prabam  partem  eetro: 
Jnlre  bcntt,  tone  Deus, 
tieeperem,  quambis  reus, 

mortis,  non  tre^pero, 
in  morte  bttam  qtutro. 
te  plaeem,  nil  prcetentro 


HYMN  OF  HILDEBERT. 

All  their  goodness,  he  retaineth, 
With  them  from  the  first  existing, 
All  their  power  in  him  subsisting. 

Father  He  begetting  showeth, 
Son,  from  human  birth  He  groweth, 
Spirit,  from  them  both  outflowing, 
They  are  one,  the  Godhead  showing. 
Each  is  God,  in  fullness  ever, 
All  are  God  and  three  Gods  never. 
In  this  God,  true  God  completing, 
Three  in  one,  are  ever  meeting, 
Unity  in  substance  showing, 
Trinity  in  persons  knowing. 

Of  the  persons  none  is  greater, 
Neither  less  and  neither  later, 
Each  one  still  itself  retaining, 
Fixed  and  constant  still  remaining, 
In  itself  no  variation, 
Neither  change,  nor  transmutation. 

This  is  true  faith,  for  our  keeping. 
Error  bringeth  sin  and  weeping — 
As  I  teach  it,  I  believe  it, 
Nor  for  other  will  I  leaA^e  it. 
Trusting  Lord  thy  goodness  ever 
Though  I  sin,  I  hope  forever. 
Worthy  death,  but  not  despairing, 
By  my  death,  my  life  preparing. 
When  I  please  thee,  nothing  showing 


I O  HlLDEll E R  II  H TMN US. 

flisi  titrcm  quam  ostenlio. 
jFtoem  btoes,— 1jane  implore, 
3Leba  faseem  quo  laboro  ; 
|Jer  Ijoe  sacrum  eataplasma 
(itonbaleseat  a^grum  plasma. 
ISittra  portam  jam  iclatum, 
Jam  ftcteutem,  tumulatum, 
Vttta  Itgat,  lapis  tirget ; 
Srt  ^i  jubes,  Ijic  rcsurget 
Jube!  lapis  rebolbctur, 
Jute!  bitta  trirumpctur; — 
nescit  moras, 
clamas  "Eari  foras!' 

Ijoc  salo,  mea  ratis 
Jttf estatur  a  piratis : 

assultus,  inic  fluctus; 

et  inlre,  mors  rt  luctus; 

tu,  tone  nauta,  bent; 
bentos,  mare  leni; 
,-jfae  aftscetrant  Ijt  pirate, 
Due  ai  portum,  salba  rate. 

Jnftreuntia  mea  fieus ; 
(Kujus  ramus,  ramus  sieeus, 
Jneilretur,  ineentietur, 
g>i  promulgas  q[tiotr  meretur. 
Sell  ijoe  anno  iimtttatur, 
Stereoretur,  fotriatur; 
©uotJ  si  neetrum  responlrebit,— 
jf  lens  Ijoe  lopor,— tune  arietit. 


HYMN  OF  HILDEBERT.  I  I 

But  the  faith  on  Thee  bestowing. 
Hear  my  prayer,  my  faith  perceiving, 
From  my  burden,  me  relieving — 
Here,  my  sickness  now  revealing, 
Let  Thy  med'cine  be  my  healing. 

Now,  without  the  city  taken, 
Dead,  offensive  and  forsaken, 
Grave  clothes  bind,  the  stone  connneth — 
At  Thy  word  the  grave  resigneth— 
Speak  !  the  stone  away  is  rolling — 
Speak !  the  shroud  no  more  controlling — 
When  "  Come  forth"  Thy  summons  sayeth, 
Then  at  once  the  dead  obeyeth. 

On  this  sea  of  troubles  resting 
Pirates  are  my  bark  infesting — 
Strifes,  temptations,  billows  sweeping, 
Everywhere  are  death  and  weeping, 
Come,  Good  Pilot,  cairn  proclaiming, 
Hush  the  winds,  the  billows  taming, 
Drive  these  pirates  to  their  hiding, 
Safe  to  port  my  vessel  guiding. 

My  unfruitful  fig  tree  growing, 
Dry  and  withered  branches  showing, 
Should'st  Thou  judge,  the  truth  discerning, 
Thou  would'st  give  unto  the  burning — 
But  another  season  bless  it, 
Dig  about  it,  Lord,  and  dress  it, 
If  it  then  no  fruit  returneth, 
I  will  praise  Thee  while  it  burneth. 


12  HILDEBERTI  HTMNUS. 


Ijostte  in  me  furit, 
mersat,  flammte  urit; 
;?)nt»e  languens,  et  afftictus, 
JTHri  soli  sum  relictus. 
Bt  tnfirmug  conbale^cat, 
Ijtc  Ijostte  ebane^cat, 
birtutem  jejuuantri, 
iufirmo,  Ires  orantri; 
ij&e  iuo,  ffiijtisto  teste, 
ILiteratnr  at  Ijae  peste. 
gH)  ijae  peste  solbe  mentem, 
J^ae  trebotum,  poeuttentem; 
33a  ttmorem,  quo  projecto, 
33e  salute  nil  conjecto; 
J3a  fitrem,  spem,  caritatem; 
Ba  itscretam  pietatem; 
Ba  contemptum  terrenotum, 
Eppetttum  supernorum. 

®otum,  Beus,  in  te  spero, 
Beus,  tx  te  totum  cjutTto;- 

laus  mea,  meum  honum; 
cuneta  tuum  tronum. 

splamen  in  latore; 
iifletricamen  in  languore; 

in  luetu  mea  Igra, 

lenimen  es  in  ira; 

in  arcto  liberator; 

in  lapsu  relebator: 


HYMN  OF  HILDEBERT. 

Me  the  Evil  one  possessing, 
Flames  and  floods  by  turns  oppressing, 
Feeble,  sick  and  helpless  lying, 
To  thy  grace,  my  soul  is  flying. 
That  my  weakness  all  may  vanish, 
Thou  the  evil  spirit  banish. 
Teach  me  Lord,  my  weakness  staying, 
Grace  of  fasting  and  of  praying, 
This  alone,  the  Savior  telleth, 
Such  a  demon  e'er  expelleth. 
Thou  my  sickened  sense  restoring — 
Faith  and  penitence  imploring — • 
Give  me  fear  which,  once  ejected, 
Leaves  salvation  all  perfected. 
Faith  and  hope  and  love  conferring, 
Give  me  piety,  unerring, 
Earthly  joys  forever  spurning. 
Heavenward  still  my  footsteps  turning. 

God,  in  Thee,  all  things  desiring, 
From  Thee,  every  thing  requiring —  . 
Thou  my  praise,  my  good  abiding, 
All  I  have,  Thy  gift  providing — 
In  fatigue,  Thy  solace  feeling, 
In  my  sickness,  Thou  my  healing, 
Thou,  my  harp,  my  grief  assuaging, 
Thou  who  soothest  all  my  raging, 
Thou  who  freest  my  enthralling, 
Thou  who  raisest  me  when  falling, 


14  HILDEBERTI  HTMNUS. 


i&otum  pttcstas  in  probertu; 
Spew  conserbas  in  trefectu; 
S|  pte  Icclrit,  tu  repentris; 
Sb\  minatur  tu  irefmtrte; 
©uotr  est  anceps,  tu  fttesolbi 

tegentrum,  tu  tnbolbig, 

tntrare  me  non 


i  mtcrnr,  uti 

Binfrctor,  uftifletug; 
i  proftra  ieteguntur, 
i  rci  ronfuntiuntur, 
i  tortor  temper 
t  bermts  temper 
i  totum  l)oc  perenne, 

©uia  perpe^ 


£ion,  Babitr  urbg  tranc|uillaf 
faber,  auctor  lucig; 
porta^,  lignum  rructe; 
clabes,  lingua 
cibe^,  temper 
(flujus  muri,  lapi 
custos,  He.t 
ac  urbe,  lux 

cTternum,  pax  percnnis; 
ijac,  otror  implens 
ijac,  temper  festum 


HYMX  OF  II1LDEBERT.  1  5 

?Tis  Thy  grace  my  footsteps  guideth 
Strengthening  hope,  when  it  subsideth. 
None  would  hurt,  but  Thou  forefendest, 
Who  may  threaten,  Thou  defendest, 
"What  is  doubtful,  Thou  revealest, 
What  is  myst'ry,  Thou  concealest. 

Never,  Lord,  with  Thy  permission, 
Let  me  enter  in  perdition, 
Where  is  fear  and  where  is  wailing, 
Shame  and  weeping  unavailing, 
Every  loathsome  thing  displaying, 
In  confusion,  disarraying, 
Where  the  fierce  tormentor  lieth, 
And  the  worm  that  never  dieth, 
Where  this  endless  woe,  infernal, 
Maketh  death  and  hell  eternal. 

Let  me  be  in  Sion  saved, 
Sion,  peaceful  home  of  David,  ,. 

Built  by  Him,  the  light  who  mal;  -^  ***<< 
And  the  cross  for  portals  taketh 
And  for  keys  the  welcome  given 
By  the  joyful  saints  in  Heaven — 
Walls  of  living  stone  erected, 
By  the  Prince  of  joy  protected 
Where  the  light,  that  God  is 
Endless  spring  and  peace  are 
Perfume,  every  breeze  is  bearin 
Festive  strains  the  joy  decb^g.  ~S^pefac)*vt*  >>  g 


I  6  HILDEBER  TI  HTMNUS. 

jlon  est  tin  rorruptela, 
jlou  tiefectus,  non  cjuerela, 
jilo-n  minuti,  non  fceformes,— 
©nines  ffiljristo  stint  conformed 

8irt0  ctetottjei!  urb^trata! 
Super  petram  collpcata;- 
in  portu  gattg  tuto, 
longtnquo,  te  galuto; — 
galuto,  te  sugptro, 
<ETe  affecto,  te  requiro. 

^  (Quantum  tut  gratulantur, 
©uam  fe.^tibe  ronbibantur; 
©ui^i  affectug  eog  gtttngat, 
Slut  p&  gemma  mutog  ptngat, 
tfiute  cijalceion,  ci 
riovunt  tilt  qut  gunt  i 

;  Jn  platetss  ljuju 
$octatu^  pits  turtto, 
(Turn  Jtto5.^e  et  ISltja 

ium  cantem  ^alleluia! 


(^  * 


o 


. 


HYMN  OF  HILDEBERT,  I J 

No  corruption  there  appeareth, 
None  defect,  or  sorrow  feareth, 
None  deformed  or  dwarfed  remaining, 
All  the  form  of  Christ  retaining. 

Heavenly  City !  happy  dwelling  1 
Built  upon  that  stone  excelling. 
City  safe  in  heavenly  keeping 
Hail !  in  distant  glory  sleeping ! 
Thee  I  hail,  for  thee  am  sighing — • 
Thee  I  love,  for  thee  am  dying. 

How  thy  heavenly  hosts  are  singing— 
And  their  festive  voices  ringing — 
What  the  love  their  souls  conforming — • 
What  the  gems  the  walls  adorning — 
Chalcedon  and  jacinth  shining 
Know  they  all,  those  walls  confining. 

In  that  City's  glorious  meeting, 
Moses  and  Elias  greeting — • 
Holy  prophets  gone  before  us — 
Let  me  sing  the  heavenly  chorus. 


i8 


JACOBUS  DE  BENEDICTIS. 


JACOBUS  DE  BEXEDICTIS,  sometimes  called  Giacomol 
da  Todi,  sometimes  Giacomo  de  Benedetti,  but  more  fre- 
quently  Giacopone,  or  Jacopone,  was  an  Italian  lawyer, 
of  the  noble  family  of  the  Benedetti,  at  Todi.    The  sudden 
death  of  his  wife  at  the  Theatre,  impressed  him  so  power- 
fully,  that  he  abandoned  his  successful  practice  of  the 
law,  sold  what  he  had  and  gave  it  to  the  poor,  and  joined 
the  then  young  and  popular  order  of  the  Franciscans  and  ,< 
devoted  himself  to  a  life  of  religious  austerity.     He  was 
extravagant  and,  if  not  insane,  was  sometimes  ridiculous 
in  his  conduct — in  the  language  of  his  epitaph  "Stultiu  s 
propter  Christum."     He  attacked  with  great  severity  the,* 
priestly  abuses  of  his  time,  for  which  he  suffered' a  living 
martyrdom,  in  the  prisons  of  a  bad  pope,  from  which  he  p 
was  finally  released.     The  date  of  his  birth  is  unknown   . 
He  died  on  Christmas  day,  1306,  at  a  great  age. 

The  three  poems  which  I  have  embraced  in  this  volume,   , 
as  his,  the  Mater  Specwsa,  the  Mater  Dolorosa  and  the   j 
Cur  Mundus,  if  correctly  attributed  to  him,  fully  estaq  »- 
lish  his  rank  as  a  poet  of  the  greatest  merit — and  one  o    i 
them,  the  Staled  Mater  Dolorosa,  has  been  admired  bej  i- 
yond  any  other  Latin  Hymn,  except  the  unapproachablj  b 
Dies  Ir(E.     The  Mater  Speciosa,  is  here  placed  befgre  thi   p 
Mater  Dolorosa,  not  because  I  suppose  with  Dr.  Neale  thaj   jt 
it  was  the  first  written,  as  I  do  not,  but  because,  in  thj   U 


JACOBUS  DE  BEXEDICTIS.  I  9 

arrangement  which  I  have  adopted,  a  Hymn  of  the  Nativity 
should  precede  one  of  the  Passion.  If  it  had  stood  alone, 
or  even  had  it  been  the  first  written,  it  would  not  have 
been  left  to  our  day  to  announce  its  beauties.  It  seems 
to  me  to  bear  to  the  Mater  Dolorosa,  something  like  the 
relation  of  a  copy  to  an  original,  and  thus  the  excellence 
and  freshness  of  the  original  may  have  kept  out  of  sight  the 
copy,  with  all  its  merit,  until  recent  discovery  has  placed 
it  by  the  side  of  its  more  distinguished  sister — if  indeed 
they  be  by  the  same  author.  It  is  not  impossible  that  the 
original  of  the  two  may  have  been  written  by  one  of  the 
minent  men,  earlier  than  Jacopone,  to  whom  it  has  been 
attributed  and  that  the  other  was  but  a  later  imitation. 

Those  early  monks  and  priests  who  were  really  devotml 
to  religion  for  its  own  sake  and  who  lived  ages  before  the 
art  of  printing,  had  but  few  books  and  of  those  the  Bible 
Aras  the  chief,  and  their  study  of  it  gave  them  the  famili- 
larity  with  its  sacred  words,  which  is  so  conspicuous  in 
(their  writings.    In  this  poem,  Jacopone  while  he  fully  per- 
tpeives  and  presents  the  poetical  character  of  the  scene, 
'»vi.iavcs  into  his  verse,   even  more  than  in  the  Mater 
Jolorosa,   all   the   striking   incidents  which   the  Sacred 
Record  details  as  part  of  the  wonderful  story,  and  all  are 
mlivened  by  touches  of  nature  which  are  as  charming  as 
hey  are  truthful. 

I  am  indebted  to  an  interesting  article,  by  Dr.  Schaff, 
liinder  the  title  "A  New  Stabat  Mater"  in  the  "Hours  at 
J|3ome"  for  May  1867,  for  my  first  sight  of  this  poem. 
]  Lt  contains  a  translation  bv  Neale. 


20 


STABAT    MATER   SPECIOSA. 


jgrtafcat  Jftater  speciosa 
Juxta  fcenum  gauiJiosa, 

J3um  jaccbat  parbulus— 
(Kujug  antmam  gautrentem, 
3Laetai)untram  ac  ferbeutem, 

^ertranisibit  juinius. 
©  quam  la^ta  et  fceata 
jFutt  ijaec  tmtnaculata, 

Ittater  enigentti! 
©ua^  gautrrtat  et  ritrrtat, 
3E:niltafiat,  cum  bitrrtat 
iBtati  partum  hulgti. 
©uig  jam  est,  qut  non  gautieret 
OHjti^ti  tnatrem  gt  btoeret 
tanto  ^olatto? 
non  pogget  colla^tart, 
i  matrem  contemplari, 
ilutrentem  cum  filid  ? 
peccatte  ^ua^  gentle, 
ri^tum  bitrit  cum  jumentte 
iBt  algori 


21 


BEAUTIFUL  MOTHER  BY  THE  MANGER 


Beautiful,  his  mother,  standing 
Near  the  stall — her  soul  expanding — 

Saw  her  new-born  lying  there — 
In  her  soul,  new  joy  created, 
And  with  holy  love  elated, 

Rapture  glorifying  her. 
She,  her  God -begotten  greeting, 
Felt  her  spotless  bosom  beating, 

With  a  new  festivity — 
Holy  joy,  her  bosom  warming — 
Radiant  smiles  her  face  conforming — 

At  her  Son's  nativity. 
Who  could  fail  to  see  with  pleasure, 
Christ's  dear  mother,  without  measure 

Such  a  joy  expressing  there — 
Thus  a  mother's  care  beguiling, 
\       Thus  beside  the  manger  smiling, 

Her  dear  Son  caressing  there  ? 
For  the  trespass  of  his  nation, 
Suffering  now  humiliation, 

Chilling  with  the  cattle  there — 

\ 


22  STAB  AT  MATER  SPECIOSA. 


suttm  twlcem  natum, 
'fcTagientem,  atroratum, 
Uilt  tribersorio. 
(Kijrteto  in 
cibeg  canunt 

<Kum  immen^o  gauiio  — 
sene*  cum  pnella, 
cum  berfco  ncc  loqucla, 


3Bja  mater,  fong 
iitte  senttre  btm 

jfac  ut  tccum  ^cntiam! 
jTac  ut  artrcat  cor  mcum 
Jn  amatum  fflftrigtum  Scum 

ffiit  ie;H)i  complaccam, 

fancta  mater,  tetulr  agag, 
rone  introtruca^i  plagas 
fflortri  fixas  tialitre. 
Cut  nati  ccclo  lapsi, 
Jam  trtgnati  feno  na^ci, 
^(enais  mccum  tribttre. 
;fFac  me  bere  congautrere, 
Je^ulino  coijaerere 

3ionec  ego  btxero. 
Jn  me  stetat  artror  tut— 
^tterino  fac  me  frut 

33um  sESum  in  exilio. 
l^unc  arirorem  fac  communem, 
me  facias  tmmunem 
ftoc  tresitrerto. 


THE  BEAUTIFUL  MOTHER  BY  THE  MANGER. 

Wise  men  knelt  where  lie  was  lying, 
Still  she  saw  her  dear  one  crying, 

In  a  cheerless  tavern  there. 
Saviour,  cradled  in  a  manger ! 
Angels  hail  the  heavenly  stranger, 

In  their  great  felicity — 
Virgin  and  her  husband  gazing, 
Speechless,  saw  the  sight,  amazing, 

Of  so  great  a  mystery. 
Fount  of  love,  beyond  concealing ! 
May  the  love  which  thou  art  feeling, 

Fill  my  heart,  unceasingly — 
Let  my  heart  like  thine  be  glowing — 
Hoi}-  love  of  Jesus  knowing, 

And,  with  thee,  in  sympathy. 
Holy  mother,  for  him  caring, 
Let  the  ills  thy  Son  is  bearing, 

Touch  my  heart,  indelibly — 
Of  thy  Son,  from  Heaven  descended, 
In  a  stable,  born  and  tended, 

Share  with  me  the  penalty. 
With  thee,  all  thy  love  dividing, 
Be  my  soul  in  Christ  abiding, 

While  this  life  enchaineth  me, 
May  thy  love,  my  bosom  warming, 
Make  my  soul  to  his  conforming, 

While  exile  detaineth  me. 
Let  my  love  with  thine  still  blending, 
Be  for  Jesus  never  ending, 

Nothing  e'er  restraining  me. 


24  STAB  AT  MATER  SPECIOSA. 


birginum  pra>dara, 
jam  nan  gig  amara, 

JF  ae  me  parbum  rapere, 
jFac  tit  puldjrum  fantem  portcmt 
©ui  nagcenlrn  btctt  mortem 

Uolens  bttam  tralrere. 
jfae  me  tecum  gatiari, 
J^tato  me  iuelmart, 

^tantem  in  triputiio. 
Jnflammatus  et  accensus, 


5Eali  ire  rommerdo 
©mneg  gtaftulutn  amanteg, 
3Et  pagtoreg  bigilanteg 
rnoctanteg  sonant. 
birtutem  nati  tui 
ut  electi  gut 
Eti  patriam  beniant. 
jfac  me  nato  rugtotiiri, 
Vnbo  33  ei  ppmunirt, 
Ctongerbari  gratia  — 
©uanfco  corpus  morietur, 
jfae  ut  anittuT  ionetur 
nati 


THE  BE  A  UTIFUL  MOTHER  B  Y  THE  MANGER.     2  5 

Virgin,  first  in  virgin  beauty  ! 
Let  me  share  thy  love  and  duty — 

Clasping,  with  fidelity, 
That  dear  child,  who  for  us  liveth, 
By  his  birth,  for  death,  who  giveth 

Life  and  immortality. 
With  thee,  let  me,  thrilled  with  pleasure, 
Feel  his  love,  beyond  all  measure, 

In  a  sacred  dance  with  thee — 
With  a  holy  zeal  excited, 
Every  ravished  sense  delighted 

In  a  holy  trance  with  thee. 
All  who  love  this  sacred  manger, 
Every  watching  shepherd  stranger, 

All,  at  night,  who  come  with  him — 
By  thy  Son's  dear  intercession, 
May  his  chosen  take  possession 

Of  his  heavenly  home  with  him. 
By  thy  holy  Son  attended — 
By  the  word  of  Grod  defended — 

By  his  grace  forgiving  me — 
When  my  mortal  frame  is  perished, 
May  my  soul,  above  be  cherished — 

Thy  dear  Son  receiving  me. 

4 


26 


DE  CONTEMPTU  MUNDI. 

CUR   MUNDUS    MILITAT. 

THIS  poem  is  but  an  expansion  of  this  gospel  truth, 
"  All  flesh  is  as  grass  and  all  the  glory  of  man  as  the  flower 
uof  grass.  The  grass  withereth  and  the  flower  thereof 
"  fadeth  away,  but  the  Word  of  the  Lord  endureth  for- 
"ever."  It  is  now  generally  attributed  to  Jacopone 
(ante,  p.  18).  Up  to  a  few  years  since  it  was  as  gen 
erally  attributed  to  St.  Bernard.  Tusser  translated  it  three 
hundred  years  ago,  calling  it  "St.  Barnard's  Verses." 
He  however  gives  but  eight  stanzas,  omitting  the  fourth 
and  the  tenth,  and  they  are  not  arranged  as  they  are  in 
the  copy  given  by  Trench.  Daniel  arranges  the  stanzas 
in  still  another  manner  and  omits  the  third.  I  have  cop 
ied  from  Trench,  but  have  adopted  still  another  arrange 
ment,  as  better  exhibiting  the  spirit  of  the  poem.  I  have 
also  ventured  to  transpose  two  words  for  the  sake  of  the 
rhythm,  reading  Magis  credendum  est,  instead  of  Creden- 
dum  magis  est.  Omissions,  errors  in  arrangement,  and 
false  notions  of  authorship,  could  not  fail  to  be  common, 
before  the  art  of  printing,  especially  in  small  poems, 
which  passed  from  one  to  another  by  oral  repetition  and 
by  manuscript  copies,  made  often  by  persons  who  had 
neither  skill  nor  care  in  copying. 

The  following  is  Tusser's  translation : 


DE  CONTEMPTU  MUNDL  1*] 

"  Why  so  triumphs  the  "World,  in  pomp  and  glory  vain. 
Whose  state  so  happy  thought,  so  fickle  doth  remain  9 
Whose  bravery  so  slippery  stands,  and  doth  so  soor 

decay, 

As  doth  the  potter's  pan,  compact  of  brittle  clay. 
More  credit  see  thou  give,  to  letters  wrote  in  ice, 
Than  unto  vain  deceits,  of  brittle  world's  device, 
In  gifts  to  virtue  due,  beguiling  many  one, 
Yet  those  same  never  have,  long  time  to  hope  upon. 
To  false  dissembling  men,  more  trust  is  to  be  had, 
Than  to  the  prosperous  state  of  wretched  world  so  bad. 
What  with  voluptuousness,  and  other  maddish  toys, 
False  studies  won  with  pain,  false  vanities  and  joys. 
Tell  where  is  Salomon,  that  once  so  noble  was  ? 
'  Or  where  now  Samson  is,  in  strength  whom  none 

could  pass  ? 

Or  worthy  Jonathas,  that  prince  so  lovely  bold  ? 
Or  fair  Absalom,  sb  goodly  to  behold  ? 
Shew  whither  is  Caesar  gone,  that  conquered  far  and 

near  ? 

Or  that  rich  famous  carl,  so  given  to  belly  cheer  ? 
Shew  where  is  Tully  now,  for  eloquence  so  fit  ? 
Or  Aristoteles,  of  such  a  pregnant  wit  ? 

0  thou  fit  bait  for  worms !  0  thou  great  heap  of  dust ! 
0  dew !  0  vanity  !  why  so  extoll'st  thy  lust  ? 
Thou  therefore  ignorant,  what  time  thou  hast  to  live, 
Do  good  to  every  man,  while  here  thou  hast  to  give. 
How  short  a  feast  (to  count)  is  this  same  world's  re 
nown  ? 

Such  as  men's  shadows  be,  such  joy  it  brings  to  town, 
Which  always  plucketh  us  from  God's  eternal  bliss, 
And  leadeth  man  to  hell,  a  just  reward  of  his. 

The  bravery  of  this  world,  esteemed  here  so  much, 
In  Scripture  likened  is  to  flowers  of  grass  and  such, 
Like  as  the  leaf  so  light,  which  wind  abroad  doth 

blow, 
So  doth  this  worldly  life,  the  life  of  man  bestow." 


28 


DE  CONTEMPTU   MUNDI. 


Otur  muntrus  militat  sufc  bana  gloria, 
(Kujus  prosperitas  t$t  transitoria? 
Jam  cito  lairitut  ejus  potentia, 
©uam  basa  figuli,  pa^  suut  fragilta* 


fitoe  Itterb  gcrtpttg  in  glacie, 
©uam  muntri  (ragili^  bana^  fallaria^, 
JPallaa:  in  pr^mti^,  birtutiis  specie, 
nuncjuam  ijaftnit  tempus  fitrucia^ 


JJlagte  cretrentrum  e^t  biri^ 
©uam  muntri  mi^erig  pro^ 

in^anite  et  banitatitu^, 
tt 


Cot  clari  proceteg,  tot  mum  spatia, 
2Eot  ora  praesulum,  tot  regna  fortia, 
2Tot  muntri  principes,  tanta  potentia, 
Jn  ictu  oculi,  clautruntur  omnia. 


3itc,  ufii  Salomon,  olim  tarn 
Vtl  ufti  S^tn^on  e^t,  trux  inbtndMlte, 
Vel  pulcfter  Ehsalom,  bultu  mirainlte, 
Vtl  trulciie;  Jonatijais,  multum 


CONTEMPT  OF  THE  WORLD. 


Why  does  the  world  serve  the  glory  it  cherisheth, 
Since  its  prosperity  all  surely  perisheth, 
Passing  away  with  its  strength  and  ability, 
Quickly  as  pottery,  with  its  fragility  ? 

Think  that  a  record  on  ice  may  be  permanent, 
More  than  the  fallacies  under  the  firmament, 
False  in  rewards,  without  virtue  or  verity, 
Never  the  world  hath  a  time  for  sincerity. 

Far  better  trust  men  of  falsehood,  deceiving  thee, 
Than  the  vain  world  that  forever  is  giving  thee 
Pleasures  that  vanish  and  foolish  insanities, 
Studies  delusive  and  perishing  vanities. 

Nobles  and  prelates,  in  all  ages  flourishing — 
Pride  and  dominion  and  vainglory  nourishing — 
Kings  of  the  earth,  with  their  power  and  stability-  • 
All,  at  a  glance,  show  the  end  of  nobility. 

Where  now  is  Solomon,  learned  and  glorious  ? 
Where  now  is  Samson,  so  strong  and  victorious? 
Where,  too,  is  Absalom,  princely  and  beautiful  ? 
Jonathan,  loving  and  lovely  and  dutiful? 


DE  CONTEMPTU  MUNDI. 


abiit,  celsus  imperio, 
Ucl  ZJibesgpleuitlug,  totus  in  prantiio? 
Sic,  ubi  &ttUiu£,  clarus  eloquio, 
artetoteles,  gummug  tngento  ? 


©uam  ftrebe  festum  est  Ij^ec  muutri  gloria ! 
Sit  umbra  Jjominte,  ^ic  eniis  gautria, 
©u^  temper  ^ubtraijunt  sterna  pr^mia, 
35t  trucunt  Ijominem  ai  trura  Jrebia. 


©  esca  bermium !  ©  mas^a  pulberte ! 
©  rois,  ©  banitas,  cur  isic  cxtolleri^  ? 
ignorant  penitu^,  utrum  crais 
jpac  bonum  omnibus,  quamliiu 


carntis  gloria,  qua^  tanti  pculritur, 

in  literiis,  flog  fcmi  Iricitur  — 
lebe  folium,  polr  bcnto  rapitur, 
bita  Ijominis  luci  ^ubtraljitur. 


tuum  tiixerig  quptr  poteg  perlrere, 
tr  muntrug  tributt,  intentiit  rapere  — 
Superna  cogita,  cor  $it  in  #tljere, 
jf  clix,  qui  potuit  muntrum  contemnrre  ! 


CONTEMPT  OF  THE  WORLD.  43  I 

Where  now  is  Caesar,  so  proud  and  imperious  ? 
Dives  the  sumptuous,  rich  and  luxurious  ? 
Say,  where  is  Cicero,  famous  and  eloquent  ? 
Where  Aristotle,  in  genius  preeminent? 

World  of  vainglory,  a  vanishing  festival ! 
How  like  the  shadows  pass  pleasures  terrestrial ! 
Robbing  the  soul  of  its  hopes  and  its  purity- 
Leading  man  on  to  a  woeful  futurity. 

Food  of  the  worm  !  Here  thy  dust  is  the  most  of 
thee ! 

Vanishing  dew-drop !  0  why  do  they  boast  of  thee  ! 

Ignorant  soul !  thy  to-morrow  may  perish  thee, 

Then,  while  thou  canst,  do  the  good  that  may  cher 
ish  thee. 

Pride  of  the  flesh,  which  thou  thinkest  so  dearly  of! 
Flower  of  the  grass,  which  the   Word   speaketh 

clearly  of! 
Like  the  dead  leaf,  which  the  autumn  wind  scat- 

tereth, 
So  passeth  life,  with  the  vain  hope  that  flattereth. 

Call  nothing  thine,  which  so  quickly  may  break 

away ; 

What  the  world  giveth,  it  meaneth  to  take  away ; 
Think  on  the  skies,  set  thy  heart  on  eternity- 
Happy,  despising  this  world  of  infirmity ! 


THE  DAY  OF  JUDGMENT. 


THIS  old  alphabetic  poem  is  of  a  very  early  period,  at 
least  as  early  as  the  seventh  century,  being  referred  to 
by  Bede,  who  died  early  in  the  eighth  century.  The 
author's  name  has  been  lost  in  the  ages. 

It  is  more  properly  narrative  than  lyrical,  and  lacks 
polish  and  grace ;  but  this  is  more  than  made  up  by  its 
simplicity  and  solemnity.  Having  been  written  before 
the  Dies  Irm,  it  has  been  supposed  to  have  suggested  that 
majestic  and  solitary  hymn,  but  with  slight  reason.  The 
topic  and  the  scene  are  different,  as  well  as  the  instruc 
tion  and  the  spirit  of  the  whole  piece.  That  is  but  the 
natural  and  agonizing  expression  of  penitence  and  prayer 
by  an  individual  sinner,  in  view  of  the  awful  solemnities 
of  the  final  day  of  wrath.  This  is  a  noble,  simple  and 
trusting  paraphrase  of  the  29th  and  30th  verses  of  the 
24th  chapter  of  Matthew  and  of  the  31st  to  the  45th 
verses  of  the  25th  chapter,  which  contain  a  striking 
account  of  a  trial  at  the  Judgment — the  organization  of 
the  court,  the  summons,  the  complaint  the  trial,  the  judg 
ment,  the  execution,  so  circumstantially  and  solemnly 
reported  by  the  Judge  Himself,  that  it  is  impossible  to 
doubt  that  it  was  intended  to  convey  to  us  a  lively  and 
instructive  representation  of  the  circumstances  and  man 
ner  of  the  final  Judgment,  and,  in  the  most  forcible  man 
ner,  to  teach  us,  as  His  life  had  done,  that  when  He  shall 


THE  DA  T  OF  JUDGMENT.  33 

come  to  judge  every  man  according  to  his  works,  it  will 
be  a  life  of  goodness  and  love  of  Christ,  which  will  be  the 
test  of  pure  religion  and  undefined  before  God  and  the 
Father. 


34 


DE  DIE  JUDICII. 


t  repentina  tries  magna  IJomini, 
obseura  belut  noete  improbteos  ac- 
cupans, 
ISrebis  totus  tune  parrttt  prtect 


Sotum  simul  cum  clareMt 

ga^culum. 
ffllangor  tufcae  per  quaternag;  terras  pla- 


tina  mottuogque  tJtljrteto  ciet 

biam. 

Se  celesti  Jutex  arce,  maje^tate 
Ollarte  angelotum  rijortsi  cnmitatu^ 

tit. 
JSrufcescet  nrti^  lun^,  isol  bel 

hitur, 
Stella  catrent  pallescentes,  muntti  tremet 

amftitu^— 
jFlamma   tgnte   antetftit   ju^tt   bultum 


(fficclum,  terras,  et  profuniri  ftuctu^  poitti 
nsi. 
in  gutltmi  Hex  setrehit 


35 


THE  DAY  OF  JUDGMENT. 


At  the  last,  the  great  day  of  the  Lord  shall  arise, 
As  a  thief  in  the  night,  to  dismay  and  surprise. 
Then  how  transient  will  seem  all  the  pleasures  of 

earth, 
"When  the  end  of  all  time  shall  be  past,  like  its 

birth— 
When  the  trumpet  shall  call  from  all   quarters 

belov/, 

Both  the  quick  and  the  dead  to  the  judgment  to  go. 
From  his  heavenly  palace,  majestic  and  bright, 
Shall  the  Judge,  with  His  angels,  come  glorious  in 

light, 
While  the  sun  shall  be  dark  and  the  moon  be  like 

blood, 
And  the  stars  fade  and  fall,  and  earth  shake  like  a 

flood. 
From  the  face  of  the  Judge  shall  the  flame  of  his 

ire, 
All  the  air  and  the  earth  and  the  sea,  burn  with 

fire. 
And  the  King  shall  then  sit  on  his  throne  in  the 

sky. 


36  DE  DIE  JUDICII. 

angelonim   tremebtntfca    drnunstafmnt 

agmtna. 

omnes  air  electt  roUegeuttir  trea^ 

teram, 
i  pabent  a  stntstrte,  ijartii  belut  fir^ 

ttit— 

trtcet  3&tx  atr  tratrcig,  regnum  cceli 

sumtte, 
pater  orfttg  quoir  parabtt  ante  mune  ^^ 

rttlum. 
Haritate  qui  fraterna  tne  jubisttg 

perem, 
ffiaritatt^  nune  tnereeJem  reportate 

bites. 
Haeti  Irieent  ©uanlro,  ffiijrtete,  patiperem 

te  biljtmus, 
,  liex  magne,  bel  egentem  mtserati 

jubimus, 

illis;  irtcet  Jutia—  <ffum  j 

pauperem, 

,  trnmum,  bestem  irantes,  me  j 

btsttis  ijumiles. 

tariafett  et  ginigtrts  loqui  i 

titer— 
Jn   gefjennae,  maletrictt,  ftammas   i)inc 


©fosecrantem  me 
trteum, 

bestem  non  iretristts,  neglexistte 
languttrum* 


THE  DAY  OF  JUDGMENT.  $7 

And  all  of  His  angels  stand  worshipping  by. 

To  His  right  His  elect  He  shall  call  by  His 
grace, 

While  the  wicked,  like  goats,  on  the  left  He  shall 
place. 

Then  to  those  on  His  right  hand  the  King  shall 
declare, 

"Take  the  kingdom  my  Father  for  you  did  pre 
pare — 

For  'twas  when  I  was  poor  that  your  love  gave  me 
aid — 

From  the  riches  of  love  your  reward  now  is 
made." 

Then  the  righteous  shall  ask,  "When,  oh  Lord, 
did  we  bless 

Thee,  our  heavenly  King,  or  relieve  Thy  dis 
tress?" 

And  the  Judge  shall  reply,  "When  the  poor  ye  did 
heed, 

Giving  shelter  and  clothing  and  bread  for  theii 
need." 

And  to  those  on  His  left  shall  the  Just  Judge  pro 
claim, 

"  Ye  accursed,  depart  to  unquenchable  flame ; 

Ye  despised  me  when  I  for  your  alms  did  im 
plore, 

Being  sick  and  forsaken  and  naked  and  sore." 


3  8  DE  DIE  JUDICII. 

peccatores  incem—  CTfmste,  quango  te  bei 

pauperem, 
&e  Mex  magne  bel  intirmutn  content? 

planter  gprebimus  ? 
©uibus  contra  Jufcex  altug— 

quamtitu 
©pent  few  tiespextette,  me 

imprntu 
J&etro  ruent  turn  injuiestt  igne^  in 


quorum  non  mortetur,  flamma 
nee  re^tinpitur, 

n  atro  cum  mtntetris  quo  tenetur 
carcere, 

ubi  mugitu^que  strtoent  omnes; 
trenttbug, 

Cunc  fi^eles  air  crelestem  gu^tollentur 
patriam, 

inter   angelorum  regni  petent 
gautria, 

summae  fgierugalem  introtbunt 
gloriam, 
Uera  lucijs  atque  pacis  in  qua  fulget 

bisio. 

Xriseitum  Regent,  jam  paterna  clarttate 
splentilrum, 

i  celsa  ieatorum  contemplantur 
mina. 

i  frauJes  ergo  cabe,  inSrmante^ 
leba, 


THE  DA  Y  OF  JUDGMENT.  39 

And  the  wicked  shall  say,  "  Lord,  oh  when  did  we 

spurn 
Thee,    0    King,    and    away    from    thy    poverty 

turn?" 
"  This  to  me  ye  have  done,"  then  the  great  Judge 

shall  say, 
"  When  the  poor  ye  despised  and  from  him  turned 

away." 
And  then  back  shall  they  rush  to  the  flames  that 

arise, 
Where  the  fire  is  not  quenched  and  their  worm 

never  dies — 

Where    the    devil    is    bound    in    his    prison    be 
neath — 
Where  are  weeping  and  groaning  and  gnashing  of 

teeth. 
Then   the    faithful  shall   rise  to    their    heavenly 

home, 
In    the   joys    of   the    kingdom    with    angels    to 

roam, 

They  shall  enter  the  bliss  of  the  city  of  God — 
Where  the  visions  of  peace  and  of  light   shine 

abroad — 
Where  the  throngs    of  the  blessed  Christ  Jesus 

adore, 

As  He  shineth  in  glory  His  Father  before. 
Shun  the  wiles  of  the  serpent,   give  aid  to  the 

weak, 


4°  DE  DIE  JUDICIL 

Eurum  temne,  fuge  liw:us,  si  bis  astra 


ciara  ca^tttatig  lumfcos  nunc 
ctugere, 

Jn  occursum  magnt  ^egtss  fer 
lampaires. 


THE  DA  Y  OF  JUD  GHENT.  4 1 

Flee  thy  worldly  desires,  if  the  skies  thou  wouldst 

seek. 
And  begird  up  thy  loins,  with  a  zone  pure  and 

white; 
Be  prepared  for  the  King,  with  thy  lamps  burning 

bright 


VENI,  CREATOR  SPIRITUS. 


THIS  HFMN  has  always  been  held  in  the  highest  esti 
mation  as  an  invocation  of  that  Creative  Spirit  which 
gives  the  birth  of  a  new  spiritual  life.  "  That  which  is 
born  of  the  spirit  is  spirit."  From  its  use  as  a  prayer  for 
the  regeneration  of  the  new  birth  it  passed  easily  into 
use,  in  the  Roman  Catholic  Church,  as  an  appointed  song 
for  those  sacred  and  solemn  occasions  where  the  blessing 
of  the  Spirit  is  invoked  upon  one  about  to  enter  upon  a 
new  life,  in  which  the  divine  aid  is  especially  necessary, 
as  in  the  ordering  of  priests,  the  consecration  of  bishops 
and  archbishops,  and  the  coronation  of  kings  and  popes. 
It  is  also  used  as  a  Pentecostal  hymn.  There  is  a 
translation  of  it  in  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer  of  the 
Episcopal  Church,  in  the  Form  for  ordering  priests.  It  is, 
however,  more  properly  a  paraphrase  than  a  translation — 
the  seven  stanzas  of  the  original  being  expanded  into 
sixteen. 

Its  authorship  is  commonly  attributed  to  Charlemagne, 
who  died  in  the  year  814.  I  adopt,  however,  the  opinion 
of  Trench,  that  it  is  certainly  older  than  the  time  of  that 
great  monarch.  Judging  from  internal  evidence  alone,  I 
should  not  hesitate  to  ascribe  it  to  St.  Ambrose,  who 
died  in  397.  I  give  but  little  importance  to  the  ascrip 
tion  of  it  to  Charlemagne.  It  may  very  well  be  but  one 


VENT,   CREATOR  SPIRITUS.  43 

of  the  many  examples  of  the  facility  with  which  opinions 
on  such  matters,  once  expressed,  even  without  evidence, 
are  repeated  until  they  are  generally  believed,  no  one 
taking  the  trouble  to  inquire  into  their  foundation.  The 
high  character  and  various  talents  of  St.  Ambrose — 
"  Doctor  Mellifluus  et  Mellitissimus"  as  he  was  called — 
caused  to  be  attributed  to  him  many  hymns  of  great  an 
tiquity,  of  which  he  was  finally  believed  not  to  be  the 
author,  the  effect  of  which  was  to  make  many  believe 
that  there  are  no  hymns  which  can  with  certainty  be  said 
to  be  his,  and  I  know  of  no  authority  for  saying  that  this  is 
his.  Except  as  a  matter  of  literary  history,  it  is  of 
little  importance  who  was  the  author.  The  merit  of  the 
hymn  is  in  itself  alone.  Its  comprehensiveness  and 
brevity,  its  simplicity  and  beauty,  its  gentle  spirit  of  trust 
and  devotion,  and  its  earnest  directness  of  expression, 
mark  it  as  the  production  of  a  great  and  practised  writer 
and  a  devout  Christian,  studiously  familiar  with  the 
Scriptures  and  with  theological  truth,  rather  than  of  a 
proud  monarch  and  a  great  soldier. 


44 


VENI,  CREATOR  SPIRITUS. 


Vtni,  creator 
fHentes  tuorum  bisita, 
Jmple  superna  gratia 
tu  creasti  pectora. 

g  paracletug, 
i  trnnum  Bei, 
btbug,  ignis,  caritas, 
3Bt  gpiritalis  tinctio, 

ptiformiis  munere, 
paternal  trextra^, 
rite  promissum  liatris, 
JJermone  iritans  guttura. 

Eccenie  lumen  jsensihug. 
Jnfunte  antorem  rortiftus, 
Jnfirma  nostri  eorporis 
IJirtute  firmans  perpeti. 

postern  repellas  longius, 
^acemque  trones  protintis ; 
Jiuetore  sie  te  pronto, 
Uitemus  omne  noxium. 
te  seiamus  ft  a  ^atre 
atpe  jFilium ; 


COMB,   CREATIVE   SPIRIT. 


SPIRIT,  heavenly  life  bestowing, 
Spirit,  all  Thy  new-born  knowing, 
Fill  with  gracions  inspiration 
Every  soul  of  Thy  creation. 
Comforter  from  God  descending, 
Life  and  unction  ever  blending — 
Fount  of  living  waters  flowing, 
Flame  of  love  for  ever  glowing. 
Sevenfold,  precious  gifts  conferring, 
Finger  of  the  Lord,  unerring — 
Promise,  by  the  Father  given, 
Teacher  of  the  speech  of  heaven — 
For  our  senses  light  securing, 
Fill  our  hearts  with  love  enduring ; 
In  our  bodies  strength  implanting, 
Faith  and  firmness  ever  granting. 
Far  the  foe  to  grace  repelling, 
Give  us  endless  peace  indwelling ; 
Thou,  as  leader,  deign  to  guide  us, 
That  no  evil  may  betide  us. 
By  Thy  grace  the  Father  learning, 
And  the  blessed  Son  discerning ; 


46  VENI,  CREATOR  SPIRITUS. 


utrtuspe  Spfritum 

omul  tempore, 
(gloria  IJatri  33omino, 
iBtatoque  qut  a  mortute 
Sbuntxit,  at  ^aracltto, 
Jn 


YENI,   CREATOR  SPIRIT  US.  47 

Thee,  of  both  the  spirit  blending, 
Let  us  trust  through  life  unending. 
To  the  God  who  being  gave  us, 
To  the  Son  who  rose  to  save  us, 
To  the  Spirit  sanctifying, 
Glory  be  through  life  undying  1 


COME,    CREATIVE   SPIRIT. 

ANOTHER  VERSION. 

SPIRIT  creative,  power  divine  1 
Visit  every  soul  of  Thine, 
Give  the  hearts  that  Thou  hast  made, 
Thy  celestial  grace  and  aid. 
Fount  where  living  waters  flow, 
Flame  of  heavenly  love  below, 
Holy  Ghost,  by  God  conferred, 
Unction  of  the  living  Word, 
Sending  seven-fold  gifts  abroad, 
Finger  of  the  hand  of  God, 
Promise  of  the  Father's  grace, 
Gift  of  speech  in  every  place, 
Let  our  senses  feel  Thy  flame, 
Strengthen  Thou  our  mortal  frame 
In  our  hearts  Thy  love  bestow, 
Faith  and  firmness  let  us  know. 
Far  the  foe  to  grace  repel, 
Let  Thy  peace  within  us  dwell, 
Guide  our  feet. Thy  race  to  run, 
Teach  us  every  ill  to  shun. 
Make  us  all  the  Father  know, 
And  the  blessed  Son  below, 


VENI,   CREATOR  SPIRITUS.  49 

Give  us  endless  faith  in  Thee, 
Spirit  of  the  sacred  Three ! 
Glory  to  the  Father  be, 
Glory  to  the  risen  Son, 
Glory,  Holy  Ghost,  to  Thee 
While  eternal  ages  run. 


COME,    CREATIVE   SPIRIT. 

ANOTHER   VERSION. 

Come  Thou  Spirit,  life  bestowing, 
Inwardly  Thy  new-born  knowing — 
Fount  of  living  waters  flowing — 
Flame  of  love,  forever  glowing — • 
Comforter  from  God  descending, 
Life  and  unction  ever  blending, 
Fill  with  grace  of  Thine  own  sending, 
Every  heart  on  Thee  depending. 
Thou  Thy  seven-fold  gifts  providing,' 
Thou  God's  hand  our  footsteps  guiding, 
Thou  His  promise  still  abiding, 
To  our  lips  His  word  confiding, 
For  our  senses  light  securing, 
Fill  our  hearts  with  love  enduring, 
All  the  body's  weakness  curing, 
Faith  and  strength  in  us  maturing. 
Far  the  foe  to  grace  repelling, 
Give  us  endless  peace  indwelling, 
Leader  Thou,  our  pathway  telling, 
Every  evil  thing  dispelling. 
Us  unto  the  Father  leading 
And  the  Saviour  interceding,  • 


VENI,   CREATOR  SPIRITUS.  5  I 

In  Thyself,  from  both  proceeding, 
Give  the  faith  that  we  are  needing. 
To  the  Father,  life  supplying, 
To  the  Son,  for  sinners  dying, 
To  the  Spirit  sanctifying, 
Glory  be  through  life  undying ! 


THE  LAST  SUPPER— ST.  THOMAS 
AQUINAS. 


ST.  THOMAS  AQUINAS,  born  in  1224,  of  a  noble 
family,  was  one  of  the  most  illustrious  saints  of  the 
Roman  Catholic  Church.  He  was  remarkable  for  his 
learning,  his  eloquence,  and  his  ability  as  an  instructor  in 
letters  and  religion,  and  his  eminent  piety — excelling  all 
his  contemporaries.  His  friendship  was  sought  by  the 
most  distinguished  men  of  his  time,  and  he  was  offered 
the  dignities  of  the  church ;  but  these  he  steadily  refused 
to  accept.  He  could  not,  however,  prevent  them  from 
calling  him  the  Doctor  Angdicus.  When  Pope  Urban 
IV.  determined  to  establish  the  festival  of  the  Holy 
Sacrament,  he  directed  this  learned  and  pious  divine  to 
prepare  the  "  office "  for  that  day.  He  composed  the 
celebrated  lyrics,  Pange,  Lingua,  Gloriosi  and  Lauda,  Sion, 
Salvatorem,  as  the  hymn  and  the  prose  for  that  solemn 
service.  Both  of  them  stand  in  the  second  rank  among 
the  hymns  of  the  mediaeval  period,  the  Dies  Irce  alone 
holding  the  first. 

They  are  excluded  from  the  collection  of  Trench  be 
cause  of  their  seeming  to  teach  the  Roman  Catholic 
doctrine  of  transubstantiation.  The  language  of  this 
hymn,  of  the  Last  Supper,  is  not,  however,  subject  to  any 
objection  on  this  ground,  which  would  not  apply  to  that 
of  the  Saviour  in  the  institution  of  the  Supper,  and  to  his 


THE  LAST  SUPPER— ST.  THOMAS  AQUINAS.       5J 

instructions  in  the  sixth  chapter  of  John,  which  are  not 
only  consistent  with  our  faith,  but  are,  indeed,  the  foun 
dation  of  it.  The  Protestant  faith  on  this  subject  is  well 
expressed  and  proved  by  Lady  Jane  Grey,  in  her  inter 
view  with  Dr.  Feckenham,  who  had  been  sent  by  Queen 
Mary  to  convert  her  to  the  Catholic  religion. 

"Feckenham.  Do  you  not  receive  the  very  body  and 
blood  of  Christ? 

Lady  Jane.  No,  surely,  I  do  not  so  believe.  I  think 
that,  at  the  Supper,  I  neither  receive  flesh  nor  blood, 
but  bread  and  wine,  which  bread,  when  it  is  broken,  and 
which  wine,  when  it  is  drunken,  putteth  me  in  remem 
brance  how  that,  for  my  sins,  the  body  of  Christ  was 
broken  and  his  blood  shed  on  the  cross ;  and  with  that 
bread  and  wine  I  receive  the  benefits  that  came  by  the 
breaking  of  his  body  and  shedding  his  blood  for  our  sins 
on  the  cross. 

"  Feckenham.  Why,  doth  not  Christ  speak  these  words, 
*  Take,  eat,  this  is  my  body  ?  '  Doth  he,  not  say  it  is  his 
body? 

'•Lady  Jane.  I  grant  he  saith  so,  and  so  he  saith  I 
am  the  vine,  I  am  the  door ;  but  he  is  never  more  the 
door  or  the  vine.  I  pray  you  to  answer  me  to  this  one 
question.  Where  was  Christ  when  he  said,  c  Take,  eat,  this 
is  my  body  ?  '  Was  he  not  at  the  table  when  he  said  so  ? 
He  was  at  that  time  alive,  and  suffered  not  till  the  next 
day.  What  took  he  but  bread?  What  brake  he  but 
bread  ?  Look,  what  he  took  he  brake ;  and  look,  what 
he  brake  he  gave ;  and  look,  what  he  gave  they  did  eat. 
And  yet  all  this  time  he  himself  was  alive  and  at 
supper,  before  his  disciples." 


54 


PANGE,  LINGUA,  GLORIOSI. 


lingua,  gloriosi 
mgstetium, 

pretiosi, 

©uem  in  munlri  pretium, 
jFructus  bentris  generogif 
Hex  etEulrit  gentium. 

i^totte  iatug,  nofttg  natus; 
IE*  intacta  Uirgine, 
iEt  in  tnuntrn 

berbi  gemine 
moras  ineolatu^ 
elausit  orlune. 
Jn  ^upremte  nncte 
Hecumhens  cum 
©fj^etbata  lege  plene 
fflibi^  in  legalitus, 
fflitum  turjte  Iruotrenae 
gt  l»at  ^uig  manHnis. 

Uertum  earn,  panem  berum 
T^erho  carnem  efficit : 
Jfttque  sangute  OHjrt^ti  mcrum; 
sensus  deficit, 


55 


SING,   MY   TONGUE. 


Sing,  my  tongue,  the  theme  undying, 

Mystery  which  His  Body  knoweth ; 
Precious  blood  of  crucifying, 

Which  the  world's  Redeemer  showeth  ; 
Fruit  of  heavenly  sanctifying, 

Whence  the  world's  redemption  floweth. 
From  the  Blessed  Virgin  going, 

He  with  men  on  earth  resided ; 
Sacred  seed  for  ever  sowing, 

He  the  fruit  to  us  confided ; 
Till  His  end,  His  triumph  showing, 

He  His  wondrous  sojourn  guided. 
In  the  night  of  His  last  meeting, 

With  His  brethren  there  united, 
All  the  Paschal  forms  completing, 

By  the  ancient  law  indited, 
Him  He  offered  for  their  eating, 

And  His  dying  love  recited. 
Word  made  flesh,  among  us  dwelling, 

With  true  bread  and  wine  regaleth ; 
By  His  word  the  mystery  telling — 

And  if  sense  imperfect  faileth — 


5  6  P4NGE,  LINGUA   GLORIOSI. 


firmaniwm  cor  sincerum 

filres  suffidt. 

SEantum  ergo  ^attamenttt 
f  neremttt  cetnut  ; 
3Et  antiquum  iocumentum 
ritut, 

swpplementum 
iefertui. 
(Scnftori,  genttoque 
3Laus  et  jufttlatto, 
S^lug,  fjonor,  btttus  pope 
Stt  et  teuelJtctto  : 
^roceirenti  ah  utroqfue 
ittompar  sit  laulratto. 


PANGE,  LINGUA,   GLORIOSI.  57 

From  the  true  heart,  doubt  dispelling, 

Still  the  trust  of  faith  prevaileth. 
Such  a  sacrament  provided, 

Bowed  and  humble  let  us  take  it ; 
Rites  to  ancient  times  confided, 

Yield  to  what  the  new  rites  make  it ; 
Be  not  by  the  sense  misguided, 

But  in  humble  faith  partake  it. 
Father,  God  of  our  salvation ! 

Son,  for  sinners  interceding ! 
Holy  Grhost,  our  renovation, 

Spirit,  from  them  both  proceeding ! 
To  the  Three  be  jubilation, 

Honor,  praise,  and  joy  exceeding! 


DE  PASSIONE  DOMINI. 


IBccjuis  Muas  columlriuas 
£Uas  tiafttt  anima^  ? 
®t  in  aimam  crucis  palmam 
lEbolet  citissime, 
tyn  qua  Jesus  totus  laesus, 
©rbts  liestirerium, 
iSt  tmmensus  est  suspensus, 
jfactus  tmpropenum ! 
©|)  cor,  scautre— Jesu,  pantre 
ffiarttatts  btscera, 
3St  ptofuuire  me  recoutre 
Jntra  sacra  bulnera— 
Jn  superna  me  caberna 
fflolloca  macerfe- 
l^ic  btbenti,  (jutescenti 
dfints  est  mtserta^ ! 
©  mi  13eus,  amor  meus ! 
&une  pro  me  pateris  ? 
^|ro  intrigno,  crucis  ligno, 
Jesu  mi,  sufKejeris  ? 
|iro  latrone,  Jesu  tone, 
in  crucem  tolleris  ? 


59 


THE  PASSION  OF  THE  LORD. 


Oh !  had  it  the  wings  of  a  dove, 

Quick  my  soul  would  to  Calvary  fly, 
And  light  on  the  cross  of  His  love, 

Where  they've  nailed  the  Eedeemer  to  die : 
Where  Jesus,  the  hope  of  the  earth, 

By  their  cruelty,  bleeding  and  torn, 
And  crowned  as  a  sport  for  their  mirth, 

All  their  scoffs  and  derision  has  borne. 
Oh !  rise  then,  my  heart,  and  away ; 

Where  Thy  yearning,  dear  Jesus,  abounds, 
There  now  in  Thy  love  let  me  stay, 

Let  me  hide  in  the  depth  of  Thy  wounds. 
On  high,  in  the  home  of  the  blest, 

In  the  cleft  of  the  Kock  give  me  peace, 
Where  dwelling,  my  spirit  may  rest, 

And  my  trouble  and  misery  cease. 
Oh  !  tell  me,  my  Love  and  my  God, 

If  indeed  Thou  art  suff'ring  for  me? 
For  me  hast  to  Calvary  trod, 

And  dost  hang  on  the  merciless  tree? 
With  thieves,  Lord  of  goodness  and  grace, 

Have  Thine  enemies  crucified  Thee? 


6O  DE  PASSIONE  DOMINI. 

liro  peccatte  mete  gratis, 
Vita  mea,  moreris  ? 
lion  sum  tanti,  Jesu  quantt 
Emor  tuug  ceistimat — 
?^eu !  cur  ego  bttam  iego 
St  cor  tc  nmt  relramat  ? 
IScneTrtctug  git  inbtctus 
Emor  binceng  omnia, 
glmor  fortts,  tela  mortig 
Heputang  ut  somnta. 
J^tc  fecit  ct  rcfecit 
Emor,  Jesw,  pertritum. 
©  tu^ignig,  amor,  ignis 
<Kor  accenie  frigitrum! 
©  fac  bere  cor  ariere 
jfac  me  te  iiligere— 
JBa  conjungi,  tra  trefungi 
Eecum,  Jegu,  btbere ! 


DE  PASSIONE  DO  MIX  I.  6  I 

My  sins  dost  Thou  bear  in  my  place  ? 

And,  my  Life,  art  Thou  dying  for  me  ? 
0  Jesus  !  unworthy  am  I — 

Undeserving  the  love  Thou  hast  shown. 
Ah !  what  does  this  life  signify, 

If  my  heart  do  not  love  like  Thine  own  ? 
The  love  that  o'er  all  doth  prevail, 

Let  it  blest  and  unconquered  remain, 
And  death  and  his  darts  that  assail 

Be  but  dreams  that  are  transient  and  vain. 
This  love  that  has  made  us  Thine  own, 

Blessed  Saviour,  the  lost  doth  reclaim  ; 
The  warmth  of  that  love  make  it  known, 

Till  it  kindle  my  heart  with  its  flame. 
My  heart,  let  it  burn  with  Thy  love ; 

With  a  holy  desire  let  me  sigh, 
To  join  with  my  Saviour  above, 

And  to  dwell  with  Thee,  Jesus,  on  high. 


STABAT  MATER  DOLOROSA. 


The  most  striking  poetical  situation  in  sacred  history  is 
the  Mother  of  Jesus  at  the  Cross.  It  could  not  fail  to 
be  the  subject  of  a  mediaeval  hymn.  The  world-renowned 
Stabat  Mater  is  that  hymn,  which,  after  being  ascribed  to 
many  eminent  authors,  is  now  commonly  attributed  to 
Jacopone  (ante,  page  18).  "  The  mysterious  charm  and 
power  of  the  hymn  is  due  to  the  subject,  and  to  the  intensity 
of  feeling  with  which  the  author  has  seized  it.  Mary  stood 
there  not  only  as  the  mother,  but  as  the  representative 
of  the  whole  Christian  church,  for  which  the  eternal  Son 
of  God  suffered  the  most  ignominious  death  on  the  cross. 
The  author  had  the  rare  poetic  faculty  to  bring  out,  as 
from  immediate  vision  and  heartfelt  sympathy,  the  deep 
meaning  of  these  scenes,  in  stanzas  of  classic  beauty  and 
melody  that  melt  the  heart  and  start  the  tear  of  peniten 
tial  grief  at  the  cross  of  Christ." 

"  The  Mater  Dolor osa  has  been  regarded  by  universal 
consent  as  the  most  pathetic  and  touching  of  Latin  church 
lyrics,  and  inferior  only  to  the  Dies  Tree,  which  stands 
alone  in  its  glory  and  overpowering  effect.  Daniel  calls 
it  the  queen  of  sequences.  It  breathes  the  spirit  of  pro 
found  repentance  and  glowing  love,  such  as  can  be  kindled 
only  by  long  and  intense  contemplation  of  the  mystery 


STA  BA  T  MA  TER  D  OL  OR  OS  A.  6  J 

of  the  cross — that  most  amazing  and  affecting  spectacle 
ever  presented  to  the  gaze  of  heaven  and  earth.  The 
agony  of  Mary  at  the  cross,  and  the  sword  which  then 
pierced  through  her  soul,  according  to  the  prophecy  of 
Simeon,  never  found  more  perfect  expression.  It  sur 
passes  in  effect  the  Mater  Dolorosas  of  the  greatest  paint 
ers.  The  key-note  of  the  hymn  is  contained  in  the  first 
two  lines,  and  is  suggested  by  the  brief  but  pregnant 
sentence  of  St.  John,  Stalat  juxta  crucem  mater  ejus. 
Vulg.  It  is  brought  out  with  overpowering  effect  in  the 
Hymn,  as  has  been  felt  even  by  those  who  have  little  re 
ligious  sympathy  with  the  theme.  '  The  loveliness  of 
sorrow,'  says  Tieck,  'in  the  depth  of  pain,  the  smiling  in 
tears,  the  childlike  simplicity  which  touches  on  the  high 
est  heaven,  had  to  me  never  before  risen  so  bright  in  the 
souL  I  had  to  turn  away  to  hide  my  tears,  especially  at 
the  place,  '  Vidit  suum  dulcem  natum'  " 

"  The  Mater  Dolorosa  has  furnished  the  text  of  some 
of  the  noblest  musical  compositions  by  Palestrina,  Per- 
golesi,  Astorga,  Haydn,  Bellini,  Rossini,  Neukomm.  That 
of  Palestrina  is  still  annually  performed  in  the  Sistine 
Chapel,  during  Passion  week. 

"  There  are  about  eighty  translations  of  this  hymn  in 
German,  and  there  are  several  in  English ;  but  very  few 
of  those  in  English  preserve  the  original  metre." 

The  foregoing  quotations  are  from  the  admirable  article 
of  Dr.  Schaff,  in  the  "Hours  at  Home,"  to  which  I  have 
elsewhere  referred. 


64 


STABAT    MATER    DOLOROSA, 


trolorosa 
Juxta  crucem  lacrgmoga, 
Bum  penttetmt  Jpilfttg— 

Otufus  animam  gementem, 
(Kontristantem  &  trolentem, 
|Jertrans;ibtt  glatmis. 

(©  quam  trigtig  &  afliicta 
J^uit  ilia  tenrttcta, 
iilater  ®mgemti! 

©u^  mtcrebat,  &  irolrtat, 
iEt  tremebat  cum  bitreftat 

uulgtt ! 

uts  e^t  ijomo  qut  non  fleret 
tgti  Jttairem  si  bilrcret 
tanto  gupplicto  ? 

poi5i!8iet  nou  ccmtrtetari 
IWatrem  contemplart, 
ISolentem  cum  jFilto? 

pro  peccattg  gua^  gcntte, 
T^ttrtt  Jesum  in  tor  mentis, 
3Bt  flagelliie;  guttrttum, 

Vitiit  suum  Dulcem  |latum, 
ittoricntcm,  trcolatum, 
33um  cmisit 


WEEPING  STOOD  HIS   MOTHER. 


Weeping  stood  His  mother,  sighing 
By  the  cross  where  Jesus,  dying, 

Hung  aloft  on  Calvary  ; 
Through  her  soul,  in  sorrow  moaning, 
Bowed  in  grief,  in  spirit  groaning, 

Pierced  the  sword  in  misery. 
Filled  with  grief  beyond  all  others, 
Mother — blessed  among  mothers — 

Of  the  God-begotten  one ! 
How  she  sorroweth  and  grieveth, 
Trembling  as  she  thus  perceiveth 

Dying  her  unspotted  one ! 
Who  could  there  refrain  from  weeping, 
Seeing  Christ's  dear  mother  keeping, 

In  her  grief,  so  bitterly  ? 
Who  could  fail  to  share  her  anguish, 
Seeing  thus  the  mother  languish, 

Lost  in  woe  so  utterly  ? 
For  the  trespass  of  his  nation 
She  beheld  his  laceration, 

By  their  scourges  suffering. 
She  beheld  her  dearest  taken, 
Crucified,  and  God-forsaken, 

Dying  by  their  torturing. 


66 


STAB  AT  MATER   DOLOR  OS  A. 

35ia  ittater  fons  atnorte, 
ftle  sentire  him  troloris, 
j/ac  ut  tecum  lugeam. 

jpac  ut  artrrat  rot  meum 
Ju  amautro  Cijristum  33eum, 
Bt  sttoi  complaceam. 

S^ncta  ittater,  tetutr  agag, 
©rucifixt  fige  plagag 
ffiorlii  men  baltlre. 

5Tut  i^tatt  bulneratt, 
Jam  trignatt  pro  me  patt, 
mecum  iribitre, 
me  bere  tecum  flere, 
©ructfixo  coutrolere, 
Jionee  ego  bteero. 
Juarta  ffirucem  teeum  stare, 

Ubenter  sociare, 
Jn  planetu  tresitrero. 
Virgo  btrginum  pr^eelara, 
jam  non  gig  amara, 
me  tecum  plangere. 
ut  portent  fflljristi  mortem, 

jug  mortem 
iEt  plagas  recolere. 

jfac  me  plagis  bulnerart, 
©ruce  f)ac  inebriari, 
©b  amorem  jFilii, 

Sluflammatus  &  accensus, 
$Jrr  tr,  T^trgo,  sim  trefensus 
Jn  iie  juHfrii. 


STAB  AT  MA  TER  DOLOROSA  67 

Mother,  fountain  of  affection, 
Let  me  share  thy  deep  dejection, 

Let  me  share  thy  tenderness ; 
Let  my  heart,  thy  sorrow  feeling, 
Love  of  Christ,  the  Lord,  revealing, 

Be  like  thine  in  holiness ! 
All  His  stripes,  oh !  let  me  feel  them, 
On  my  heart  for  ever  seal  them, 

Printed  there  enduringly. 
All  His  woes,  beyond  comparing, 
For  my  sake  in  anguish  bearing, 

Let  me  share  them  willingly. 
By  thy  side  let  me  be  weeping, 
True  condolence  with  him  keeping, 

Weeping  all  my  life  with  thee ; 
Near  the  cross  with  thee  abiding, 
Freely  all  thy  woes  dividing, 

In  thy  sorrow  joined  with  thea 
Virgin,  of  all  virgins  fairest, 
Let  me  feel  the  love  thou  bearest, 

Sharing  all  thy  suffering ; 
Let  me  feel  the  death  they  gave  Him, 
Crucified  in  shame  to  save  them, 

Dying  without  murmuring. 
Let  me  feel  their  blows  so  crushing, 
Let  me  drink  the  current  gushing 

From  His  wounds  when  crucified. 
By  a  heavenly  zeal  excited, 
When  the  judgment  fires  are  lighted, 

Then  may  I  be  justified. 


68 


STAB  AT  MATER  DOLOROSA. 


me  (ffiruce  custotriri, 
Jftorte  Otijrtett  pnemuniri, 
fflnnfdbert  gratia. 

©uaniro  carpus  morietur, 
J^ac  ut  antrn^  tronetur 
gloria. 


STAB  A  T  MA  TER  D  OL  OROSA.  6  9 

On  the  Cross  of  Christ  relying, 

Through  His  death  redeemed  from  dying, 

By  His  favor  fortified ; 
When  my  mortal  frame  is  perished, 
Let  my  spirit  then  be  cherished, 

And  in  heaven  be  glorified. 


DE  CORONA  SPINEA. 


j5t  bis  bere  gloriari, 
3Et  a  33eo  coronari 
i^onore  et  gloria, 
coronam 
atcjue  sectar 


fflrelorum  Hex  portabtt, 
l^ontirabtt  et  isacrabit 
g>a<*o  JSHO  capite— 
Ju  ijac  galea  pugnabit, 
ffium  atttiquum  ijo^tem  strabtt, 

Criumpijan^  in  sttptte, 
l^aec  pugnautts  galea, 
2Er  lump!)  ant  is  laurea, 
Ciara  pontificis— 
fuit  spinea, 
gtmolrum  fit  aurea 
Sactu  sancti 

aculeos 
fecit  anrens 


peccats 
ig  a^ternce  reos, 
Eiimplebit 


THE  CROWN  OF  THORNS. 


Woulds't  thy  spirit  glory  truly — 
By  the  Lord  be  honored  duly, 

With  a  crown  irradiate, 
Think  upon  the  crown  they  gave  Him, 
Crucified  in  scorn  to  save  them — 

Strive  His  life  to  imitate. 
This,  the  King  of  Heaven,  dying, 
Honoring  and  sanctifying, 

Wore  in  shame  and  misery. 
In  this  helmet  He  contended, 
When  His  strife  in  triumph  ended, 

On  the  cross  of  Calvary. 
Helmet  which  the  soldier  beareth — 
Laurel  which  the  victor  weareth — 

High  priest's  mitre,  consecrate — 
First  of  thorns  His  temples  tearing, 
Then  of  gold  beyond  comparing, 

By  His  touching  transmutate. 
Thorns  He  wore  amid  their  scorning, 
Change  to  gold  His  brows  adorning — 

By  the  death  He  suffereth. 
Which  to  those  by  sin  perverted — 
From  eternal  death  converted— 

Every  blessing  offereth. 


72  UE   CQROXA  SPINE  A. 

J3e  malts  rolligitur 
ISt  Je  spinis  plectitur 


in  aurum  bettitur, 
mlpa  tollitur, 


pie,  Jesu  tnne, 

noftfg  in  agone 
Hargere  bictoriam- 

ogtrog  sic  compone 
u^  corona 
Hftereamur  gloriam. 


THE  CROWN  OF  THORNS.  73 

Thorns,  by  wicked  hands  collected, 
In  a  plaited  crown  connected, 

Pierce  the  wicked  bearing  it ; 
When  away  our  sin  He  taketh, 
This  a  crown  of  gold  He  maketh, 

To  his  children  wearing  it 
Jesus  in  Thy  goodness  aid  us — 
In  the  strife  th'at  sin  has  made  us, 

Give  us,  Lord,  the  victory. 
So  our  daily  lives  preparing, 
That,  Thine  endless  glory  sharing, 

We  may  wear  the  crown  with  Thee. 
10 


74 


VICTIMS  PASCHALI  LAUDES, 

THE   FOUK  PRINCIPAL   PROSES. 

This  hymn,  of  which  the  author  is  unknown,  is  said 
every  day  of  Easter  week.  It  is  one  of  the  four  prin 
cipal  Proses  of  the  Roman  Catholic  books  of  devotion. 
They  were  called  Sequences,  from  their  place  in  the  ser 
vices  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church — they  followed  the 
Gradual.  They  were  called  proses,  because  they  were  not 
verse  in  the  classical  sense,  but  prose ;  that  is  to  say, 
they  disregarded  the  quantitative  measure  of  the  classical 
poets,  and,  in  place  of  it,  substituted  syllabic  measure  and 
accentual  rhythm. 

"Prose,  nom  qu'on  a  donne  dans  les  derniers  siecles  a 
certaines  hymnes  composers  de  vers  sans  mesure,  mais 
de  certain  nombre  de  syllabes  avec  des  rimes  qui  se 
chantent  apres  le  graduel,  d'ou  on  les  a  aussi  appellees 
sequence — sequentia,  c'est  a  dire  qui  suit  apres  le  grad 
uel." — Supp.  Morer. 

"Prose  se  dit  aussi  d'une  sorte  d'ouvrage  latin  en  rimes, 
ou  sans  observer  la  quantite",  on  observe  le  nombre  des 
syllabes.  On  chante  a  la  messe,  immediatement  avant 
1'evangile,  quelques  ouvrages  de  cette  nature  dans  les 
solemnity's." — Diet.  Acad. 

"Prosa,  that  which  is  not  metre." — Holyoke  Lat.  Diet. 

Although  at  the  first  the  rhyme  and  the  rhythm  were 


VICTIMS  PASCHA LI  LA  UDES.  7  5 

both  imperfect,  in  the  course  of  time  the  versification  and 
the  rhyme  were  alike  regular  and  harmonious. 

"L'usage  des  proses  a  commence*  au  plus  tard  au  neu- 
vieme  siecle.  Notker,  moine  de  S.  Gal,  qui  e*crivit  vers 
Fan  880,  et  qui  est  regards'  com  me  le  premier  auteur  que 
Ton  connaisse,  en  fait  de  proses,  dit  dans  la  preface  du 
livre  ou  il  en  parle  que  il  en  avoit  vu  dans  un  antipho- 
nier  de  1'abbaye  de  Jumieges,  laquelle  fut  brule'e  par  les 
Normands  en  841.  Nous  avons  quatre  proses  principales, 
le  Veni,  Sancte  Spiritus,  pour  la  Pentectfte,  que  Durand 
attribue  au  Eoi  Robert,  mais  que  est  plus  probablement 
de  Hermannus  Contractus — c'est  la  prose  Sancti  Spiritus 
adsit  nolis  gratia,  qui  est  du  roi  Robert,  selon  quelques 
anciens,  entr'  autres  Brompton  plus  ancien  que  Durand — 
Le  Lauda  Sion  salvatorem,  pour  la  f6te  du  S.  Sacre- 
ment  qui  est  de  S.  Thomas  d'Aquin — Le  Victimce  pas- 
chali  laudes  dont  on  ignore  1'auteur — c'est  la  prose  du 
temps  de  Paques — Le  Dies  irce,  Dies  ilia,  que  Ton  chante 
aux  services  des  morts.  On  1'attribue  mal  apropos  a  S. 
Gregoire,  ou  a  S.  Bernard,  ou  a,  Humbert,  ge'ne'ral  des 
dominicains.  Cette  prose  est  du  Cardinal  Frangipani, 
dit  Malabranca,  docteur  de  Paris,  de  1'ordre  des  domini 
cains  qui  mourut  a  Perouse  en  ]294." — Encyc.  et  Supp. 
Morer. 

The  Victimce  paschali  laudes  is  usually  printed  in  the 
form  of  prose,  as  I  give  it.  I  do  not  doubt,  however, 
that  its  author  considered  it  a  rhymed  lyric — poetical  in 
its  thought  and  conception,  but  really  written  in  prosaic 
form,  and  interspersed,  at  unequal  intervals,  with  rhymes 
of  a  very  irregular  and  imperfect  character,  furnishing  an 
apt  illustration  of  the  remarks  of  Archbishop  Trench  on 


7  6  VICTIMS  PA  S  CHA  LI  LA  UDES. 

the  infancy  and  progress  of  Latin  rhymed  accentual  ver 
sification.  He  says  (I  abridge  his  remarks) :  '  Rhyme 
made  itself  an  occasional  place  even  in  the  later  or  pro- 
sodic  poetry  of  Rome,  but  no  large  employment  of  it  dates 
higher  than  the  eighth  or  ninth  centuries.  It  displayed 
itself  first  in  lines  which,  having  a  little  relaxed  the  strict 
ness  of  metrical  observance,  sought  to  find  a  compensation 
for  this  in  similar  closes  to  the  verse,  being  at  this  time 
very  far  from  that  elaborate  and  perfect  instrument  which 
it  afterwards  became.  We  may  trace  it,  step  by  step, 
from  its  rude,  timid,  and  uncertain  beginnings,  till,  in  the 
later  hymnologists  of  the  twelfth  and  thirteenth  centuries, 
an  Aquinas  or  an  Adam  of  St.  Victor,  it  displayed  all  its 
latent  capabilities,  and  attained  its  final  glory  and  perfec 
tion,  satiating  the  ear  with  a  richness  of  melody  scarcely 
anywhere  to  be  surpassed.  At  first  the  rhymes  were 
often  merely  vowel  or  assonant  ones,  the  consonants  not 
being  required  to  agree ;  or  the  rhyme  was  adhered  to 
when  this  was  convenient,  but  disregarded  when  the 
needful  word  was  not  at  hand ;  or  the  stress  of  the  rhyme 
was  suffered  to  fall  on  an  unaccented  syllable,  thus  scarcely 
striking  the  ear ;  or  it  was  limited  to  the  similar  termina 
tion  of  a  single  letter ;  while  sometimes,  on  the  strength 
of  this  like  ending,  as  sufficiently  sustaining  the  melody, 
the  whole  other  construction  of  the  verse  and  arrangement 
of  the  syllables  was  neglected.  It  may  be  that  they  who 
first  used  it,  were  oftentimes  scarcely,  or  not  at  all,  con 
scious  of  what  they  were  doing.' 

The  following  arrangement  of  the  whole  original  hymn 
illustrates  these  remarks : 


VICTIMS  PASCEALI  LA  UDES.  J  J 

Victimse  Paschali, 

Laudes  immolent  Christiani, 

Agnus  redemit  oves, 

Christus  innocens  Patri 

Reconciliavit  peccatores. 

Mors  et  vita,  duello, 

Conflixere  mirando. 

Dux  vitse  mortuus, 

Regnat  vivus. 

Die  nobis,  Maria, 

Quid  vidisti  in  via  ? 

Sepulcrum  Christi  viventis 

Et  gloriam  vidi  resurgentis. 

Die  nobis,  Maria 

Quid  vidisti  in  via  ? 

Angelicos  testes, 

Sudarium  et  vestes. 

.Die  nobis,  Maria, 

Quid  vidisti  in  via. 

Surrexit  Christus,  spes  mea. 

Pra3cedet  suos  in  Galiloeam. 

Oedendum  est  magis  soli  Maria3  veraci, 

Quam  Judseorum  turbaB  fallaci. 

Scimus  Christum  surrexisse  a  mortuis  vere, 

Tu  nobis  victor,  Rex  miserere. 

Thus  arranged,  at  its  full  length,  it  gives  strong  color 
to  the  suggestion,  which  has  been  made,  that,  originally,  it 
had  a  dramatic  character,  and  was  sung,  responsively,  by 
a  choir  and  by  persons  representing  Mary  Magdalen  and 
the  Apostles — a  kind  of  performance  which  was  not  un 
common  in  the  earlier  ages  of  Christianity.  I  copy  the 
Prose  from  the  Roman  Missal,  in  the  prosaic  form  in  which 
I  have  always  seen  it  printed,  and  in  which  it  is  said  in 
that  service. 


VICTIMS  PASCHALI  LAUDES 


Victims      asdali  laufces   immolatt 


retremtt  obes:  ffiijrtetus  inno 
cent  liatrt  reconciliabtt  pecratores. 

Jttors  et  trita  iruello  conflixere  mtrantno  : 
twx  bita^  mortuug,  regnat  btbus, 

J3ic  noit^,  JSlaria:   quitr  bttrtisti    in 
bia? 

jDepulcrum  OUjmti  btbentig,  et  gloriam 
bilii  rrsurgattig. 

Engeltcci!5i  testes,  gulrartum  et 

Surrait  ffiijrtetus,  gpes  mea: 
boe;  in  (Salil&am. 

^cimu^  fflijriistum  mntx\$$t  a 
tuts  bere.    Su  nobis,  bictor, 
rrere. 


79 


TO  THE   PASCHAL  VICTIM  RAISE. 


Christians,  raise  your  grateful  strain 

To  the  Paschal  victim,  slain ; 

Now  the  Lamb  the  flock  hath  bought — 

To  the  Father,  long  besought, 

Christ,  the  pure  and  undefiled, 

Hath  the  sinner  reconciled. 

Here  contending  Death  and  Life 

Now  have  met  in  wondrous  strife ; 

Death  the  Prince  of  Life  hath  slain, 

Now  he  reigns  in  life  again ! 
"  Tell  us,  Mary,  what,  to-day, 

Thou  beheldest  on  thy  way." 
"  Where  the  buried  Lord  had  been, 

There  His  glory  I  have  seen, 

Angel  witnesses  around, 

Grave  clothes  that  His  body  bound. 

Christ,  my  hope,  alive  and  free, 

Follow  Him  to  Galilee." 

Christ,  the  just,  for  sinners  slain, 

From  the  dead  is  risen  'again. 

Thee,  our  victor  King,  we  know — 

To  us,  now,  Thy  mercy  show. 


8o 


DE    MYSTERIO    ASCENSIONE 
DOMINI. 


Aortas  bestras  alternates, 
Eriumpijales,  prineipales, 
&ngeti,  attollite. 
iEja,  tollite  aetutum, 
Vtnit  Homintis  birtutum, 
i&ex  ^terna^  glorias 
Vtnit  totus  la^tatuntjus, 
(Jtautrtlruie;  et  rutirunlrus, 
Claris 


birtute  sola, 
dnctus  millibus. 
erat  in  egre^jeiu, 
tngentem  in 
Effert  multitutrinem 
JPructum 


cceli  segetem, 
3E|a,  iuftilate  33eo, 
Jacent  ijnstes,  bicit  ILen, 
Uicit  semen  Ebraljae, 
Jam  ruiiifP  repletuntur, 
(Jtffli  eibes  augetuntur, 
g»albabtintut  anting. 


8i 


THE   ASCENSION   OF   THE   LORD, 


Raise  the  everlasting  gates, 
Triumph  now  the  Lord  awaits — 

Angels  raise  them  hastily. 
Open  wide  the  pearly  portal, 
Now  ascends  the  Lord  immortal. 

King  of  glory  endlessly. 
Now  he  comes  in  joy  sufficing, 
White  and  radiant  in  his  rising — 

Vestments  dyed  and  glorious — 
In  new  robes,  to  triumph  rising, 
Walking  in  his  strength  surprising, 

With  a  throng  victorious. 
He,  alone,  to  earth  descended, 
See  him  back  to  Heaven  ascended, 

Bringing  thousands  with  him  here — 
Fruit  of  his  incarnate  dying — 
To  his  rising  testifying — 

Heaven's  harvest  gathered  here. 
Shout  aloud  Jehovah's  praises — 
O'er  his  foes,  the  Lion  raises 

Triumph  now  to  Abra'm's  seed. 
Now  our  ruin  quickly  ceases — 
Now  the  heavenly  host  increases — 

Souls  will  now  be  saved  indeed 
ii 


82  DE  MTSTERIO  ASCENSIONS  DOMINI. 

f$egnet  OHjrtetus  triumpijator 
J^ominumque  liberator, 

misericord, 

pacts,  lieus  fortis 

trator,  bictor  mortis, 
Haus  ccekgtig  curias. 
®u,  qui  cerium  reserastu 
3Et  in  illo  jprceparasti. 
Hocum  tuis  famuli^, 
4F ac  me  titri  famulari, 
(ffit  te  pite  bcnerari 
l^ic  in  terra  jubilte, 
mt  post  actum  bto  cursum, 
3Bp  (itioque  scaniens  sursum 
®e  tiiliere  baleam, 
fuxta  ^atrem  consilrentem, 
Criumpftantem  et  regentem 
©mnia  per  gloriam. 


THE  ASCENSION  OF  TIIE  LORD. 

Christ  shall  make  his  reign  enduring, 
Man's  redemption  now  securing, 

Pardoning  with  fidelity. 
Heavenly  hosts  his  praises  singing, 
He  in  strength  and  peace  is  bringing, 

Life  and  immortality. 
Thou  the  gates  of  heaven  unbarring, 
Thou,  within,  a  place  preparing 

For  thy  servants  dwelling  here. 
Let  me  with  thy  servants  joining, 
With  thy  worshippers  combining, 

Praise  thee  while  remaining  here. 
So  that  when  my  course  is  ended, 
Kising  as  my  Lord  ascended, 

I  may  see  thee  ever  there 
With  the  Father — seated  by  Him — 
Triumphing  in  glory  nigh  him — 

Eeigning  with  him  everywhere. 


YENI,  SANCTE  SPIRITUS. 


This  hymn,  which  Trench  declares  to  be  the  loveliest 
of  all  the  hymns  in  the  whole  circle  of  Latin  sacred  poetry, 
is  another  of  the  four  principal  proses — the  prose  for 
Pentecost.  Clichtoveus  says  that  it  is  beyond  all  praise, 
as  well  on  account  of  its  remarkable  grace  and  ease,  as 
of  the  richness  and  fullness  of  its  thoughts  and  the  finished 
beauty  of  its  construction,  seeming  to  show  that  the 
author,  "whoever  he  may  have  been,"  was  filled  by  the 
Holy  Spirit  with  a  heavenly  sweetness,  which  enabled 
him  to  pour  forth  such  delightful  thoughts  in  such  com 
prehensive  and  appropriate  language. 

It  has  been  attributed  to  various  authors,  among 
others  to  Pope  Innocent  III.  and  to  Hermanus  Con- 
tractus,  a  learned  monk  of  St.  Gall.  It  is  now  commonly 
attributed  to  Eobert  II.,  King  of  France.  Archbishop 
Trench  says  there  exists  no  sufficient  reason  for  calling 
in  question  the  attribution  which  has  been  commonly 
made  of  it  to  King  Robert.  I  am  very  slow  to  doubt 
when  so  great  an  authority  says  there  exists  no  sufficient 
reason  for  doubting,  but  I  am  compelled  to  say  that  I 
know  of  no  sufficient  proof  that  King  Robert  was  really 
the  author  of  it.  I  should  be  quite  ready  to  believe  that 
he  had  set  it  to  music,  if  I  were  convinced  that  so  beau- 


VENI,  SANCTE  SPIRITUS.  0  5 

tiful  a  specimen  of  rhymed  accented  Latin  verse  had  been 
written  before  his  day.  In  the  authority  quoted  on  page 
75,  the  prose  written  by  him  is  said  to  be  the  Sancti 
Spirit  us  adsit  nobis  gratia,  which  is  now  usually  attrib 
uted  to  Notker,  the  first  writer  of  proses.  I  borrow  from 
the  "Seven  great  hymns"  an  extract  from  the  Chronicle 
of  St.  Bertin:  "Robert  e"tait  tres  pieux,  prudent,  lettre 
et  suffisamment  philosophe,  mais  surtout  excellent  musi- 
cien.  II  composa  la  prose  du  St.  Esprit,  qui  commence 
par  ces  mots,  Adsit  nobis  gratia,  les  rhythmes  Judce  et 
Ilierusalem,  et  Cornelius  Centurio,  qu'il  offrit  a  Rome  sur 
1'autel  de  St.  Pierre,  note  avec  le  chant  qui  leur  etait 
propre,  de  m6me  que  1'antiphone  Eripe  et  plusieurs  autres 
beaux  morceaux."  The  facts,  that  no  mention  is  here 
made  of  this  gem,  and  that  Clichtoveus,  a  careful  inquirer, 
who  died  in  1543,  speaks  of  the  authorship  as  unknown, 
or  so  much  in  dispute  that  he  would  not  name  the  author, 
throw,  certainly,  some  doubt  on  the  question.  I  incline 
to  the  belief  that  this  and  the  Veni  Creator  have  lived  by 
force  of  their  innate  vitality,  and  that,  without  any  real 
evidence,  they  have  been  attributed  to  their  illustrious 
supposed  authors.  Being  worthy  of  the  highest  author 
ship,  they  would  naturally  enough  be  attributed  to  kings 
and  popes. 


86 


VENI,  SANCTE  SPIRITUS. 


Vtni,  sancte 
IBt  emitte  cceittus 

ILucte  tu&  ralrtum. 
T^eni,  ^ater  pauperum; 
Uent,  Irator  munetum  ; 

IfcTent,  lumen  cortrtum* 
(ffion^olatcir 
Bulcte 

JBulce  refrigerium* 


n 

Jn  fletu  solatium* 
©  lux  fteatiggtma, 

irtg  intima 
Quorum  SJcltum. 
tuo  numine 
t&t  in  Ijomtne, 
itijtl  est  innxixtum* 
iLaba  (fuolr  e^t  sortrifcum, 
cjuotr  eist  ariljum, 

quolr  e^t  gaudu 
jf  Itttt  ({uotr  egt  rjgttjum, 
jf  nbe  quotr  c^t  frtgttrum, 
quotr  est  trebium. 


COMB,   HOLY   SPIRIT. 


Holy  Spirit  from  above, 
Shine  upon  us  in  Thy  love 

With  Thy  heavenly  radiance. 
Father  of  the  poor  below, 
Who  dost  every  gift  bestow, 

Light  our  hearts  to  gladden  us. 
Of  the  soul  the  dearest  guest, 
Of  the  heart  the  sweetest  rest, 

Sent  of  Grod  to  comfort  us — 
Freshness  for  the  summer's  heat, 
Tn  our  tears  a  solace  sweet, 

Sweet  repose  in  weariness — 
Let  Thy  faithful  in  Thy  sight 
Feel  Thy  cheering,  heavenly  light, 

Warming  and  enlightening  us. 
Oh !  without  Thy  quickening  power, 
We  must  perish  in  an  hour, 

Everything  condemning  us. 
Wash  away  each  guilty  stain, 
Water  with  Thy  gracious  rain, 

In  Thy  mercy  healing  us. 
Move  our  stubborn  lips  to  praise, 
Warm  our  coldness  with  Thy  rays, 

Call  us  from  our  wanderings. 


VENI,  S^NCTE  SPIRITUS. 


31a  tuts 

$n  te  cofitreutiftug 

Sacrum  sqptenarium. 
3ia  btrtutts  meritum, 
salutte  exitum, 
perenne  gaulrtum. 


VEXI,  SAXCTE  SPIRITUS.  89 

Them  who  on  Thy  grace  depend, 
Them,  Thy  faithful,  ever  send 

Sacred  sevenfold  peace  with.  Thee. 
Give  them  virtue's  best  reward, 
Give  salvation  with  the  Lord ; 

Give  them  joy  unceasingly. 

12 


9o 


LAUDA,  SIGN,  SALYATOREM. 


Of  all  the  mediaeval  hymnologists,  no  one  used  the 
Latin  rhymed  versification  in  greater  perfection  than 
St.  Thomas  Aquinas,  nor  is  there  any  hymn  which 
better  exhibits  his  remarkable  power  as  a  writer  of 
Latin  hymns,  than  the  Lauda  Sion  Salvatorem,  the 
prose  for  the  holy  sacrament,  one  of  the  four  princi 
pal  proses.  As  has  been  before  stated  (page  52),  it, 
together  with  the  Pange,  Lingua,  Gloriosi,  was  written 
by  St.  Thomas,  as  part  of  the  office  for  the  feast  of  the 
Holy  Sacrament,  composed  by  him,  at  the  request  of 
Pope  Urban  IV.,  when  he  instituted  that  divinely  ap 
pointed  rite  as  one  of  the  regular  festivals  of  the  Roman 
Catholic  Church. 

According  to  his  view  of  that  solemn  supper,  he  has 
in  this  prose  exhausted  the  subject,  not  only  in  its  theo 
logical  and  ecclesiastical  sense,  but  in  its  administrative 
and  receptive  significance,  while  in  the  matter  of  versi 
fication  it  leaves  nothing  to  be  desired.  Its  harmony  is 
without  a  jar,  and  the  flow  of  its  rhythm  is  as  easy  and 
undisturbed  as  aptly  chosen  words  can  make  it,  while  its 
gentle  cadences  are  in  accord  with  the  divine  love  which 


LAUD  A,  SION,  SALVATOREM.  9! 

inspired  the  sacred  rite.  It  is  but  just  to  say  that  he 
doubtless  intended  that  his  words  should  be  understood 
according  to  the  faith  which  the  Roman  Catholic  Church 
now  teaches;  but  it  may  also  be  said  that  the  hymn 
might  have  been  written  by  a  Protestant,  in  the  same 
words,  without  doing  violence  to  the  faith  of  the  Pro 
testant  Church,  although  it  does  not  fully  express  that 
faith  ;  and  I  have  preferred  to  translate  it  in  that 
sense. 


LAUDA,  SIGN,   SALVATOREM 


ILauia,  j5um, 

ILauia  iwcem  &  pastorem 

Jn  ijgmnte  &  canticte. 
Quantum  pmes,  tantutn  autre 
©uta  major  muni  latrtre, 
laulrare  sufficte. 
tfjema  gpectaiig, 
btbus  &  bttalt^ 
i^otrie  proponttur. 
©uem  in  gacr^  mensa  ccena^, 
&ttri)&  fratrum  iruotrena^ 
Batum  non  amfugttur. 
laug  plena,  git  sonora: 
jucunlra,  git  ieccira 


agitur, 
Jn  qua  menga^  recolitur, 

J^ujug  institutui. 
Jn  ijac  menga  nobi 
iagrija  nobt5 
betug  terminat. 

nobitag, 
SHmtram  fugat  beritag, 
lux  eliminat. 


93 


SIGN,   PRAISE   THY   SAVIOUR. 


Sion,  praise  thine  Interceder ; 
To  thy  Shepherd  and  thy  Leader 

Songs  and  anthems  elevate. 
With  thy  highest  powers  sing  Him, 
Still  the  praises  thou  canst  bring  Him 

Never  can  be  adequate. 
Theme  of  praise,  all  praise  transcending, 
Bread  of  life,  from  heaven  descending  1 

He  to  us  has  offered  it, 
As  He  in  that  final  meeting, 
When  the  sacred  twelve  were  eating, 

To  them  freely  proffered  it 
Lift  aloud  the  voice  of  praising, 
Sweet  and  holy  accents  raising, 

Strains  divine  to  execute. 
'Tis  the  solemn  feast  provided, 
Where  the  Lord  Himself  presided, 

This  His  feast  to  institute. 
Table  of  the  Lord  ascended, 
Paschal  Lamb  for  us  intended, 

Ancient  form  here  terminates. 
New  things  now  the  old  supplying, 
From  the  truth  the  shadows  flying, 

Light  the  darkness  dissipates. 


94  LAUDA,  SION,  SALVATOREM. 


©uotr  in  nena  ffifjristus 
jfacienlutm  ijoc  apressit 

Jn  sui  memortam. 
J3octl  sacris  institutte, 
binum  in  salutte 


Hogma  fcatur 

©uoti  in  catnem  transit  pante, 
3Et  binum  in  ganguinem. 

non  capig,  quoir  non  bitres, 
firmat  fitreg, 
return  drtrinem. 


tantum  &  non 
atent  re^  eximia^, 
Ctaro  cibug,  sanguis 
Jfilanet  tamen  onjrituis  totus 

Sut)  utraque 
a  sumente  non 
i^ton  confractug,  non  fcibteus; 

Jnteger  acdpitur. 
^umit  unug,  gumunt  mille, 
(Quantum  i^ti,  tantum  tile: 

|iec  gumptus  con^umitur, 
g>umunt  toni,  gumunt  malt, 
tamen  in&ciuali, 
bel  interitus. 
$tf  malis,  bita 
Uilre  parig  gumption 
©uam  git  trispar 


LAUD  A,   SIGN,  SALYATOEEM.  95 

Doing  what  the  Lord  was  doing, 
Here,  His  own  commandment  showing, 

We  His  love  commemorate. 
Taught  by  Jesus'  inculcation, 
Bread  and  wine  for  our  salvation 

Here  to  Him  we  dedicate. 
Here  to  Christians  Jesus  preacheth, 
Here  to  us  the  mystery  teacheth, 

Never  sense  perceiving  it — 
Flesh  and  blood,  for  us  devoted, 
Are  by  bread  and  wine  denoted, 

Living  faith  believing  it. 
In.  the  different  kinds  He  places, 
Signs  of  hidden  gifts  and  graces, 

Precious  things  He  telleth  here : 
That  His  flesh  is  meat  unto  us, 
And  His  blood  is  drink  unto  us — 

In  them  both  He  dwelleth  here. 
He  this  blessed  bread  that  breaketh, 
He  that  of  this  wine  partaketh, 

All  the  Saviour  cherisheth ; 
All  the  Church  on  earth  may  break  it, 
All  the  faithful  may  partake  it. 

None  of  Jesus  perisheth. 
Good  and  bad,  together  meeting, 
And  the  sacred  supper  eating, 

Each  how  different  taketh  it ! 
To  the  wicked  condemnation, 
To  the  worthy  sweet  salvation, 

Christ  the  Saviour  maketh  it ! 


9  6  LAUD  A,  SI  ON,   SALVATOREM 


jfracto  toemum 

lie  baciiles,  seti  memento 

Cantum  esse  sut  fragmento 

©uantum  toto  tegttur. 
flulla  ret  fit  getggiurat 
i  tantum  fit  fractura, 
nee  status  nee  statura 

minuttur. 
iBeee  paniis  Engelorum, 
etftus  btatorum  : 
nis  filtorum, 
mittentrug  can  Urn  0. 
Jn  figurtsi  pr^ignatur, 
ifium  J^aae  tmmolatur, 

elj^  treputatur, 
SJatur  manna  patrituis. 
HJone  ^a^tor,  pants  bere, 

nostrt  miserere, 
nos  pasee,  nos  tuerc, 
nos  tona  fae  btlrere 
Jn  terra  bibetttium. 
cftii  euneta  sets  &  bales, 
t  nos  pasets  l)te  mortales, 
Cuos  tM  eommensales, 
Ctota^retres  &  solrales, 
jf  ae  sanetorum  eibtum. 


LAUD  A,    SlOy,    SALVATOREM.  97 

When  this  sacred  feast  tliou  makest, 
When  thou  but  a  morsel  breakest, 
Thou,  the  Saviour  still  partakest— 

He  is  all  in  all  to  thee. 
By  the  sign  that  is  divided, 
Real  food,  for  thee  provided, 
Still  unbroke,  to  thee  confided, 

Jesus  doth  recall  to  thee. 
Angel  bread,  from  heaven  descended. 
Food  to  wanderers  here  extended. 
For  the  children's  bread  intended, 

Dogs  should  never  take  of  it. 
Isaac,  as  a  type,  promoted, 
And  the  Paschal  Lamb,  devoted. 
And  the  manna — all  denoted 

Only  His  might  break  of  it. 
Thou  Good  Shepherd,  Bread  of  Heaven ! 
Jesus,  let  us  be  forgiven ! 
Feed  and  guard  us  by  Thy  kindness, 
Take  us  from  our  earthly  blindness 

To  the  glory  giv'n  by  Thee. 
Thou,  all  powerful  and  all  knowing — 
Blessed  food  on  us  bestowing — 
At  Thy  Table  with  Thee  eating, 
Thy  coheirs  together  meeting, 

Let  us  dwell  in  heaven  with  Thee ! 

13 


98 


ADAM  OF  ST.  VICTOR. 


The  Abbey  of  St.  Victor,  near  Paris,  was  one  of  the 
most  celebrated  religious  houses  in  France  seven  hun 
dred  years  ago— celebrated  for  its  learning,  its  theology, 
its  genuine  devotion,  and  its  fondness  for  sacred  lyrics. 
It  was,  hence,  the  home  and  resort,  as  well  as  the  parent 
and  teacher,  of  great  men.  Among  these  Adam,  a 
regular  canon  of  the  Abbey,  was  deservedly  held  in  very 
high  estimation  for  all  the  qualities  of  a  devout  and  learned 
man.  His  familiarity  with  the  Sacred  Scriptures  was 
most  remarkable,  and  evidently  could  have  been  the  result 
of  nothing  less  than  the  most  constant  reading,  and  the 
most  careful  study  and  comparison,  of  the  sacred  writers 
in  the  riper  years  of  his  cultivated  intellect.  The  Holy 
Word  seemed  to  be  almost  the  only  language  that  he 
knew — so  easily  and  gracefully  did  it  flow  from  his  pen 
in  the  harmonious  lines  of  his  lyrical  compositions,  of 
which  one  hundred  and  six  are  now  extant.  They 
all  have  the  same  general  characteristics  of  style  and 
versification,  and  in  them  all  we  are  continually  delighted 
with  the  felicity  as  well  as  the  facility  with  which  he 
writes,  while  he  is  sometimes  brief  and  sententious  with 
out  a  parallel. 


ADAM  OF  ST.    VICTOR.  99 

Trench,  in  his  Sacred  Latin  Poetry,  has  given  us  many 
of  the  best  of  his  lyrics,  so  many  and  so  various  that  we 
are  made  familiar  with  his  characteristics.  We  seem  to 
know  him.  The  only  one  of  these  which  I  have  selected 
for  this  little  book  is  his  poem  on  the  Martyrdom  of  St. 
Stephen,  which  Trench  calls  a  sublime  composition ;  and 
we  see  that  it  well  deserves  the  name,  when,  in  imagina 
tion,  we  take  the  place  of  the  old  monk  and  become  a 
spectator  of  that  first  martyrdom,  passing  with  him  from 
the  present  to  that  early  dawn  of  Christianity,  and  from 
the  description  of  the  bloody  scene,  to  the  rapt  ecstasy  in 
which  he  apostrophizes  the  suffering  saint  and  beholds  the 
sympathizing  Saviour  in  the  opening  heaven,  upholding 
him  and  strengthening  him  in  the  triumph  of  his  mar 
tyrdom. 

Dr.  Trench  accords  to  him  the  highest  place  among  the 
writers  of  Latin  Sacred  Poetry,  but  not  without  some  doubt 
whether  that  honor  may  not  properly  belong  to  Arch 
bishop  Hildebert.  He  would  except  the  authors  of  the 
Dies  Tree  and  the  Stabat  Mater,  if  the  harps  on  which 
those  unequalled  strains  were  improvised  did  not  seem  to 
have  been  immediately  broken  into  silence. 

He  died  July  8,  1177,  and  his  epitaph,  written  by  him 
self,  was  preserved  for  several  hundred  years  on  the 
walls  of  the  Abbey,  near  the  door  of  the  choir,  where 
the  echo  of  his  hymns  had  been  so  often  heard.  The 
tone  of  penitent  humility,  and  the  impressive,  solemn, 
movement  of  the  epitaph,  have  induced  me  to  insert  it 
here  as  a  part  of  this  sketch,  to  exhibit  his  character,  by 
his  own  hand,  as  it  was  his  last  desire  to  appear. 


100 

EPITAPHIUM. 


s  pcccati,  natura  filing  ivcr, 
Uii^iit'  mis,  nascitur  omuls  Ijomo. 
:   guperlnt   Ijomo,  cujug   cotueptio 
culpa, 
i  pcena,  labor  btta,  uece^ge  more? 

salus  ijomtni^,  batiu^  ticror,  om^ 
ma  bana— 

Jntcr  bana  nii)il  batting  egtijominc- 
33  urn   magig   allutrit  prargenttg    gloria 


it,  immo  fugit  —  nou  fugit,  immo 
ptrit 

ijomittem  bermig,  pogt  bermem  fit 
dnig,  Ijeu,  ijeu  ! 

>ic  retiit  air  cinerem  gloria  nogtra  gimul. 
ic  ego  qui  jacco,  miger  et  mtgeratilig 

Etram, 

ffitnam  pro  gummo  muttere  pogco  pre- 
cem— 

i,  fateor,  bettiam  peto,  parce  fa^ 
tenti, 

pater  ;    fratreg    parcite  ;  parce 
ZBeug! 


101 

EPITAPH. 


An  heir  of  sin  and  child  of  wrath  by  nature  here 

below, 
A  stranger  every  man  is  born — an  exile's  life  to 

know. 
Whence   doth  he  boast  himself  in  pride   whose 

thought  is  guilt,  innate, 
Whose  birth  is  pain,  whose  life  is  toil,  and  death 

his  only  fate? 
Yain  health  of  man,  vain  beauty  too,  vain  boast  of 

earthly  pride, 
Vain  thing  is  man,  among  the  vain,  vainer  than  all 

beside. 
The  glory  of  this  present  life,  what  time  it  cloth 

delight, 
Doth  quickly  pass,  not  pass  but  fly,  not  fly  but 

perish  quite. 
And  then,  to  man  the  worm  succeeds,  and   after 

worms  the  dust, 
At  once  to  dust  he  must  return  with  every  earthly 

trust 

And  I,  poor  Adam  lying  here,  'tis  mercy  all  I  need, 
One  only  prayer  I  now  can  make — for  heaven's 

last  gift  I  plead, 

^  1  y  sins  confess,  my  pardon  seek — oh  let  a  sinner  live  I 
Father,  and  brothers  in  the  faith,  and  God,  oh  God, 

forgive ! 


IO2 


DE.  S.  STEPHANO. 


muntrn*  exultabit, 
3Et  exultant  celefcrabtt 
ffiljmti  natalitia. 
t  djorus  angelorum 
est  coelorum 
cum  l&tttta. 

et  Hebita, 
fitre,  clarug  btta, 
et  miraculis, 
ijac  luce  trtumpfjabit, 
3Bt  triumpijan^  tngultabtt 


jfremunt  ergo  tanquam 
©uia  bicti  trefecere 
atibersariu 

testes  ^tatitunt, 
IBt  linguae  eyacuunt 
Uipetarum  filtt. 
Hgontista,  nulli  cetre— 
Oterta  certu^  Ire  mercetre, 


Jnsta 

ffionfuta  sermomfcus 


io3 


ST.  STEPHEN. 


Yesterday  the  world,  elated, 
With  their  praises  celebrated 

Jesus  Christ's  nativity ; 
Angels,  then  their  voices  raising, 
Were  the  King  of  Heaven  praising, 

Joyful  in  festivity. 
Stephen,  proto-martyr,  Deacon, 
In  his  faith  and  life  a  beacon, 

Mighty,  too,  in  miracles, 
This  day,  to  his  triumph  rising, 
Was  in  triumph  then  despising 

Cruel  Jews  and  infidels. 
They  like  beasts  of  prey  were  raging, 
Their  secure  defeat  presaging, 

And  of  light  the  enemies — • 
Lying  witnesses  providing, 
And  with  sharpened  tongues  deriding- 

Sons  of  vipers  venomous  ! 
Stephen,  strive,  thy  strife  enduring, 
And  thy  sure  reward  securing, 

Persevere  to  victory. 
Fear  not  witnesses  abounding, 
All  confute,  with  truth  confounding 

Satan's  desperate  synagogue. 


104  DE  S.  STEPHANO. 


tuus  est  in  ccelte, 
berax  et  filrelte, 
innocently. 

coronati, 

tormenta  ieret  pati 
corona  gloria. 
corona  non  marcenti 

brebts  intn  tormcntt, 
8Te  manet  bictorta. 
Eibi  fict  mors,  nataltg, 
CHri  ptcna  trrminalig 
23  at  bttcc  primorfcia, 
3En  !  a  trextriie;  33  ci  stantem 
pro  tc  trimicantem, 
c  con.^tticra. 
reserartt 

rcbelart 
(JTlama  boce  (ttera. 
^Jlenug  .^ancto  .^piritu 
^enctrat  tntuitu 

ccclc^tia. 
i  gloriam 
air  bictortam, 


commcntrat 
quo  tnilce  iucit  mori 


srrbat  omnium 
lapttiantium, 
s  in  omnibus. 


ST.  STEPHEN. 

In  the  skies  thy  witness  liveth, 
And.  in  faith  and  truth,  he  giveth 

Fullest  proof  of  innocence. 
Crowned  is  the  name  thou  wearest, 
And  the  tortures  that  thou  bearest 

Give  thy  crown  its  radiance. 
For  a  crown  of  light,  unfading, 
Meet  the  force  of  pain,  invading  — 

Victory  shall  remain  with  thee. 
Death  to  thee  becometh  natal, 
For  its  final  pang  so  fatal, 

Giveth  endless  life  to  thee. 
See,  by  God's  right  hand  is  standing 
Jesus,  for  thee  help  commanding — 

Stephen,  see  he  aideth  thee ; 
For  thee,  heavenly  gates  unsealing, 
For  thee,  Christ  the  Lord  revealing — 

Cry  unto  him  earnestly. 
Stephen  is  to  heaven  gazing, 
On  the  heavenly  scenes  amazing — 

Holy  Ghost  sustaining  him  ; 
God's  full  glory  to  him  showing, 
While  to  victory  he  is  going — 

Love  and  hope  constraining  him. 
To  the  Lord  his  soul  commending, 
Sweet  he  finds  the  death  impending, 

While  the  stones  are  bruising  him ; 
And  young  Saul,  the  garments  holding 
Of  those  stoning,  is  upholding, 

And,  himself,  is  using  them. 

14 


IO6 


DE  S.  STEPHANO. 

ifle  peccatum  statuatut 
,  a  ((uibug  lapitratur 
pontt  tt  prtcatur, 

infante— 
Jn  ®i)riist(i  jstc  ottiormtbtt, 
©ut  OUjristo  sic  obetiibtt, 
35t  cum  ffiljrbto  temper  bibtt, 
Jttartgrum  primitive. 


ST.  STEPHEN.  IOJ 

"Lord  forgive  them,"  hear  him  saying, 
For  the  men  who  him  are  slaying, 
On  his  bended  knee  now  praying — 

Praying  God  to  pardon  them. 
Thus,  in  Christ,  the  martyr  sleeping, 
To  him  thus  obedience  keeping, 
In  him  liveth  without  weeping — 
First  fruits  these  of  martyrdom. 


io8 


DIES     IR2B. 


"  Of  all  the  Latin  hymns  of  the  Church,  this  has  the 
widest  fame.  The  grand  use  which  Goethe  has  made 
of  it  in  his  Faust  may  have  helped  to  bring  it  to  the 
knowledge  of  some  who  would  not  otherwise  have  known 
it,  or,  if  they  had,  would  not  have  believed  its  worth,  if 
the  sage  and  seer  of  this  world,  a  prophet  of  their  own, 
had  not  thus  set  his  seal  of  recognition  upon  it.  To 
another  illustrious  man  this  hymn  was  eminently  dear. 
How  affecting  is  that  incident  recorded  of  Sir  Walter 
Scott  by  his  biographer,  how,  in  those  last  days  of  his, 
when  all  of  his  great  mind  had  failed,  or  was  failing,  he 
was  yet  heard  to  murmur  to  himself  some  lines  of  this 
hymn,  an  especial  favorite  with  him  in  other  days.  Nor 
is  it  hard  to  account  for  its  wide  and  general  popularity. 
The  metre,  so  grandly  devised,  of  which  I  remember  no 
other  example,  fitted  though  it  has  here  shown  itself  for 
bringing  out  some  of  the  noblest  powers  of  the  Latin 
language ;  the  solemn  effort  of  the  triple  rhyme,  which 
has  been  likened  to  blow  following  blow  of  the  hammer 
on  the  anvil ;  the  confidence  of  the  poet  in  the  univer 
sal  interest  of  his  theme,  a  confidence  which  has  made 
him  set  out  his  matter  with  so  majestic  and  unadorned 
a  plainness  as  at  once  to  be  intelligible  to  all — these 
merits,  with  many  more,  have  given  the  Dies  Irce  a  fore- 


DIES  IRJE.  1  09 

most  place  among  the  master-pieces  of  sacred  song."— - 
TBENOH. 

Its  great  power,  its  universal  sympathy  with  every 
man,  lies  in  its  absolute  selfishness — not  in  a  bad  sense, 
in  the  highest  and  purest  and  best  sense — and  in  the 
sincerity  and  earnestness  of  its  simple  and  natural  lan 
guage.  It  is  the  language  of  one  man,  in  relation  to 
himself  alone,  in  view  of  the  awful  realities  of  that  ulti 
mate  responsibility  which  all  right-minded  men  so  often 
feel,  and  which  all  men,  the  most  hardened  even,  some 
times  feel  with  great  solemnity.  The  conflagration,  the 
judge,  the  trumpet,  the  book,  the  whole  scene,  are  men 
tioned  only  to  give  force  to  the  exclamation,  "  Quid  sum, 
miser!  tune  dwturus? "  "What  can  I  then  say ?"  And 
every  confession  and  every  prayer  is  for  individual  self,  and 
is  a  renunciation  of  all  hope,  except  through  the  free  grace 
of  Christ.  The  last  stanza  is  omitted  in  some  copies. 
Trench  omits  it,  as  do  some  others.  If  it  be  translated, 
as  it  sometimes  is,  as  a  prayer  for  the  salvation  of  all 
mankind  at  the  last  day,  then  it  certainly  is  not  in  har 
mony  with  the  rest  of  the  hymn,  and  ought  to  be  omitted. 
On  the  other  hand,  if  it  be  translated  as  it  is  here,  and 
has  been  by  some  others,  and  as  it  clearly  should  be, 
rendering  the  last  line  "  Spare  me,"  then  the  last  stanza, 
instead  of  being  feeble  and  inconsequent,  becomes  a  har 
monious  and  proper  close  of  a  hymn  with  such  a  beginning. 

It  is  usually  ascribed  to  Thomas  of  Celano,  an  Italian 
monk  of  the  thirteenth  century ;  but  I  think,  with  Trench, 
that  there  is  no  certainty — I  should  say  but  little  proba 
bility — that  the  authorship  belongs  to  him. 


no 


DIES 


33ies  ir&,  tries  ilia! 
j&olbet  s^clum  in  fabilla, 
&este  Dabilr  cum  j2?2billa, 
OHuantus  tremor  est  futurus, 
©uantro  Jutiejc  est  benturus, 
€uueta  stricte  iiscussurus. 
Cuta  mirum  spargens  sonum 
$Jer  sepulcra  regionum, 
doget  omnes  ante  tljromnn. 
Hflors  stupebit,  et  natura, 
©uum  resurget  creatura, 
Jutiicanti  responsura. 

tus  proferetur, 

quo  totum  continetur, 
muntrus  jufcicetur. 
ergo  cum  setrcbit, 
itJ  latet,  apparebit : 

inultum  remanebit* 
©uitr  sum,  miser!  tune  Jicturus, 
©ucm  patronum  rogaturus, 
<©uum  bte  Justus  sit  securus  ? 


Ill 


THE   DAY   OF   WRATH. 


Day  of  threatened  wrath  from  heaven, 
To  the  sinful,  unforgiven  ! 
Earth  on  fire,  to  ashes  driven ! 
Oh,  the  guilty,  how  affrighted ! 
That  each  wrong  shall  then  be  righted, 
And  with  blazing  truth  be  lighted  ! 
Loud  the  trumpet  will  be  blowing, 
All  on  earth  the  sound  be  knowing, 
And  to  answer  will  be  going. 
Death  amazed  will  then  be  quaking — 
As  the  dead  of  ages  waking, 
Shall  their  fearful  doom  be  taking. 
From  the  Book  then  opened  newly, 
Every  sinful  deed  must,  duly, 
Then  be  heard  and  answered  truly. 
God,  the  Judge,  will  then  be  dealing, 
With  each  hidden  thought  and  feeling, 
And  the  last  award  be  sealing. 
What  shall  wretched  I  be  saying  ? 
To  what  Friend  for  help  be  praying  ? 
Fear  the  righteous  then  dismaying ! 

in 


1  I  2  DIKS  IRM. 

litr  trcmentrce  majestatis, 
<Qui  salbanlios  salbas  gratis, 
jralba  me,  fons  ptetatis ! 
i\ecoriare,  ;?tesu  pie, 
(Quotr  sum  causa  nice  liict ; 
me  pertnas  ilia  trie! 

me, 

Ixetremtsti,  crueem 
Eantus  labor  nou  sit  rassus. 
Juste  Jutre.t  ulttonts, 
ZBonutn  fae  remissionis 
Ente  triem  rationts* 
Jugemtseo  tanquam  reus, 
rufcet  bultus  meus  ; 
paree,  0eus ! 
atsolbisti, 

IBt  latronem  exautiistt, 
HflHjt  quoq[ue  spem  tretrtsti. 
^ireces  mece  non  sunt  ))ign^, 
jfeeir  En  bonus  fae  Ibenigne 
fit  perennt  eremer  igne ! 
Sinter  obes  locum  prtesta, 
5Et  aft  ija^tiis  me  sequestra, 
^tatuens  in  parte  trextra. 
iffonfutatis  maletrietis, 
jplammto  aertbus  atJtiietis, 
T^oea  me  cum  ftenrtictts! 
©ro  supplex  et  arelinis, 
dor  eontrttum  quasi  cinis, 
(Sere  euram  mei  tints. 


DIES  IR^E.  l  1  3 


King  of  Kings,  all  powers  enthralling, 
Without  price  Thy  chosen  calling, 
Pity,  save  my  soul  from  falling  ! 
Jesus,  cradled  in  a  manger  — 
For  my  sake  on  earth  a  stranger  — 
Save  me  in  that  day  of  danger  ! 
For  me  weary,  all  things  needing  —  • 
On  the  cross  in  anguish  bleeding  — 
Do  not  lose  such  toil  and  pleading  ! 
God  the  righteous,  never  sleeping  ! 
Oh  !  forgive  a  sinner  weeping  ! 
While  Thy  love  is  mercy  keeping  ! 
Lost  without  Thy  blood  atoning  — 
Blushes  mingling  with  my  groaning  — 
Spare  my  soul  in  sorrow  moaning  ! 
Sinful  Mary  Thou  forgavest, 
And  the  dying  thief  Thou  savedst, 
Ground  of  hope  to  me  Thou  gavest. 
Prayers  unworthy  to  Thee  sending, 
Be  Thy  goodness  still  befriending  ; 
Save  me  from  the  fire  unending  ! 
With  Thy  chosen  flock  forever, 
When  the  sheep  and  goats  shall  sever 
On  Thy  right  hand  keep  me  ever  ! 
When,  in  fire,  the  cursed  gather, 
Let  me  hear  Thee  saying,  rather, 
"  Come,  thou  blessed  of  my  Father  !" 
Trusting  to  Thy  goodness  wholly  — 
Crushed  in  heart,  and  bending  lowly  — 
Save  at  last,  Thou  Just  and  Holy  ! 

15 


1 1  4  DIES 


Hacnjmosa  tries  ilia! 
©uaiesurget  ex  fabilla, 
Jutricantrug  i)omo 
ii)uic  ergo  parce, 


DIES  1RJE.  I  I  5 

In  that  day  when,  weeping,  quaking, 
Man  shall  rise,  from  dust  awaking, 
In  thine  arms,  0  Jesus !  bear  me — 
From  Thy  curses,  God,  oh  I  spare  me  I 


n6 


THE   DAY  OF   WRATH. 

ANOTHER  VERSION. 

Day  of  wrath  I  that  final  day, 

Shall  the  world  in  ashes  lay ! 

David  and  the  Sibyl  say. 

Oh !  what  trembling  there  shall  be, 

When  the  coming  Judge  we  see, 

All  to  try  impartially  { 

When  the  trumpet's  awful  sound 

Bursts  the  graves  beneath  the  ground, 

Calling  all  the  throne  around. 

Death  amazed,  and  Nature,  too, 
See  the  dead  arise  to  view, 
To  their  just  and  final  due. 
There  the  record  will  be  shown, 
In  which  everything  is  known, 
Whence  to  judge  the  world  alone. 
When  the  Judge  is  seated,  then 
Shall  each  sin  appear  again— 
Not  unpunished  one  remain. 
Wretched  me !  what  shall  I  say  ? 
Who  will  plead  for  me  that  day, 
When  the  just  themselves  must  pray? 


DIES 

King  of  Majesty  divine ! 
Freely  saving  who  are  Thine, 
Save  me,  Fount  of  Love  divine ! 
Blessed  Jesus !  think,  I  pray, 
For  me  was  Thy  weary  way — 
Do  not  lose  me  in  that  day ! 
Sought  by  Thee  in  toil  and  pain, 
By  Thy  cross  redeemed  again, 
Let  Thy  sufferings  not  be  vain  ! 
Judge !  Thy  vengeance,  oh !  delay ; 
Grant  me  pardon,  here  I  pray, 
Now,  before  that  reckoning  day. 
Humbly  I  my  sorrow  speak, 
Blushes  burn  my  guilty  cheek, 
Spare  me,  God,  while  thus  I  seek ; 
Mary,  Thy  free  grace  forgave, 
Grace  the  dying  thief  did  save, 
Hope  of  grace  to  me  it  gave. 
All  unworthy  is  my  prayer, 
But  thy  goodness  still  declare ; 
Let  me  not  in  flames  despair ! 
When  Thy  sheep,  by  Thy  command, 
From  the  goats  divided  stand, 
Place  me  then  on  Thy  right  hand. 
When  the  curse'd  in  their  shame 
Writhe  in  everlasting  flame, 
With  the  blessed  call  my  name. 
Bowed  and  lowly,  hear  my  cry ! 
See  my  heart  in  ashes  lie ! 
Oh  !  protect  me  when  I  die  ! 


1*8  DIES 


On  that  final  day  of  tears, 
When  before  Thy  bar  appears 
Man,  from  ashes  risen  again, 
Spare  me,  God,  oh  I  spare  me  then  ! 


THE   DAY  OF   WRATH. 

AXOTHEB   VEESION. 

Day  of  wrath,  with  vengeance  glowing, 
Seer  and  Sybil  long  foreknowing  1 
Earth  and  time  to  ruin  going  ! 
How  the  guilty  world  will  tremble 
When  the  Judge  shall  all  assemble, 
And  not  one  will  dare  dissemble ! 
When  the  trumpet's  summons,  swelling 
Through  Death's  dark  and  dusty  dwelling, 
To  the  throne  is  all  compelling  1 
Death  with  fear  will  then  be  quailing, 
As  the  dead  of  ages,  wailing, 
Kise  to  judgment,  without  failing. 
Then  the  book  of  God's  own  writing — 
Truth  alone  the  pages  lighting- 
Will  be  guilty  souls  indicting, 
Every  secret  thought  and  feeling, 
To  the  Judge  at  once  revealing, 
None  excusing,  none  concealing. 


DIES 


How  shall  wretched  I  be  pleading  ? 
Through  what  patron  interceding, 
When  the  just  are  mercy  needing? 
King,  all  majesty  expressing, 
By  free  grace,  Thy  saved  possessing, 
Save  me,  Fount  of  heavenly  blessing  ! 
Jesus,  think  what  woes  thou  tasted, 
While  for  me  to  death  thou  hasted  ; 
Let  them  not  at  last  be  wasted. 
Thou  didst  seek  me,  sad  and  sighing, 
God  forsaken  in  Thy  dying  ! 
Be  not  fruitless  all  Thy  trying. 
Righteous  Judge,  thy  wrath  delaying, 
Pardon  me  while  I  am  praying  ! 
While  the  day  of  grace  is  staying. 
Groaning,  guilty,  hear  me  speaking  ! 
Blushes,  sin  and  shame  bespeaking  ; 
Spare  me,  Lord,  thy  pardon  seeking. 
Sinful  Mary  was  forgiven, 
Thou  didst  call  the  thief  to  heaven, 
Hope  to  me  was  also  given. 
Worthless  are  the  prayers  I'm  raising  ; 
Save  me  by  Thy  grace,  amazing, 
From  the  fire  for  ever  blazing  ! 
From  the  goats,  O  Lord,  divide  me  !  * 
And  among  Thy  sheep,  beside  Thee, 
On  Thy  right,  my  place  provide  me. 
When  the  cursed,  downward  driven, 
To  eternal  flames  are  given, 
Call  me  with  the  blest  to  heaven. 


I  2O  DIES  IRM 

Listen,  Lord,  to  my  petition — 
Crushed  in  heart,  in  deep  contrition — 
Save,  oh  I  save  me,  from  perdition. 
On  that  day  of  bitter  weeping, 
When  from  dust  and  mortal  sleeping, 
Man  is  called  to  final  hearing, 
Spare  me,  God,  on  my  appearing  ! 


121 


THOMAS  A  KEMPIS. 


Thomas  a  Kempis — Thomas  Hamerken  of  Campen  or 
Kempen — was  born  at  Kempen  in  the  Province  of  Over 
Yssel  in  Holland  in  1380.  He  was  educated  at  the 
University  of  Deventer,  the  Capital  of  the  province,  and 
afterwards  entered  among  members  of  the  Monastery  of 
Mount  St.  Agnes,  of  the  Order  of  St.  Augustin.  He 
there  displayed  great  piety,  patience  and  self-denial.  He 
joinod  the  Order  of  the  Brothers  of  the  Common  Life, 
which  was  first  established  at  Deventer,  by  G-erhard,  the 
great,  who  was  a  native  of  Over  Yssel.  The  members 
of  that  order  had  no  monastic  vows  and  devoted  their 
lives  to  preaching  and  to  teaching  letters  and  religion  to 
the  young,  supporting  themselves  by  their  industry, 
which  they  applied,  principally,  to  copying  books.  He 
died  in  1471,  in  the  91st  year  of  his  age. 

Wherever  the  Gospel  is  preached,  the  influence  of  this 
devout  man  is  felt.  The  "Imitation  of  Christ,"  which  is 
now  generally  attributed  to  him,  next  after  the  Bible  has 
been  more  frequently  printed  and  more  widely  read,  than 
any  other  religious  book.  It  has  been  translated  into 
every  Christian  language,  and  has  been  the  welcome  com 
panion  of  devout  Christians  of  every  denomination.  It  is 
said  that  a  traveling  monk  found  an  Arabic  copy  of  it 
in  the  library  of  a  king  of  Morocco,  which  his  Moorish 
majesty  prized  beyond  all  his  other  books. 

The  following  is  considered  the  best  of  his  poems. 
16 


122 


DE  GAUDIIS  CCELESTIBUS. 


angelotum  djori, 
cantant  tffreatori, 
liegem  cernuut  in  trerore, 
amant  cortre,  lautuant  ore. 
STmnpanifant,  eitijarijant, 
T^ilant  alts,  gtant  in  scal 
Sonant  nolis,  fulgent 
CToram  j&umma  Crinitate, 
(Clamant  jbanttn&,  S^nct 

jf  ugit  l)olor,  cc.^^at  planctus 
Jn  guperna  cibitatc. 

box  cst  omnium, 
collautrentium. 
amor  menttum 
contuentium, 
Ucatam  Crinitatem  in  una  Beitate, 
©uam  atrorant 
4F erbenti  in  amore, 
Ucnerantur 
Jngenti  sufc  Ijonore— 
ittirantur  nimig  Eijroni  ire  tanta 
tate. 


I23 


THE  JOYS  OF  HEAYEN. 


Angel  choirs  on  high  are  singing, 
To  the  Lord  their  praises  bringing, 
Yielding  him  in  royal  beauty 
Heart  and  voice,  in  love  and  duty  ; 
"Waving  wings  the  throne  surrounding, 
Timbrels,  harps,  and  bells  are  sounding. 
See  their  heavenly  vestments  glisten, 
To  their  heavenly  music  listen ; 
Hear  them,  by  the  Godhead  staying, 
Holy,  holy,  holy,  saying. 

None  that  grieveth,  or  complaineth, 
In  that  heavenly  land  remaineth — 
Every  voice,  in  concord  joining 
Holy  praise  to  God  combining. 
Holy  love  their  minds  disposeth, 
Heavenly  light  to  all  discloseth 
Blessed  Three  in  God  united — 
Seraphs  worshipping  delighted, 
Sweet  affection  overflowing — 
Cherubim  their  rev'rence  showing, 
Bowing  low,  their  pinions  folding — 
God's  majestic  throne  beholding. 


I  24  DE  GAUDIIS  CCELESTIBUS. 

©ij  pam  preelara  regio ! 
JSt  quam  trecora  legio 
3Bx  angelis  et  Ijomintftus ! 
©lj  glouosa  ctbttag, 
Jn  ([tia  gumma  tranciuillitas, 
et  pax  iu  cunctis  finttug ! 
jujitg  ctbttatte 
nitent  castttatts;, 
ten  cut  carttatts, 
jFtrmum  pactutn  nnitati^, 
laftorant,  nil  ignorant, 
tentantur,  nee  bexantur, 

ant,  semper  l#ti, 
OTunetis  tonis  sunt  repletu 


THE  JOYS  OF  HEAVEN.  l  2  , 

Oh !  what  fair  and  heavenly  region  I 
Oh  !  what  bright  and  glorious  legion, 
Saints  and  angels,  all  excelling  I 
In  that  glorious  city  dwelling, 
Which  in  rest  divine  reposeth, 
And  sweet  light  and  peace  discloseth  I 
Every  one  who  there  resideth, 
Clad  in  purity  abideth, 
Charity  their  spirits  joining — 
Firm  in  unity  combining — 
Toil  nor  ign'rance  undergoing — 
Trouble  nor  temptation  knowing : 
Always  health  and  joy  undying, 
To  them  every  good  supplying. 


INDEX. 


Abbey  of  St.  Victor,  98. 

Adam  of  St.  Victor,  76,  98. 

Agnes,  Mount  St.,  121. 

Alpha  et  fl  Magne  Deus,  2. 

Ambrose,  42. 

Angel  choirs  on  high  are  stand 
ing,  123. 

An  heir  of  sin  and  child  of 
wrath,  101. 

Apparebit  repentina  dies,  34. 

Aquinas,  Thomas,  52,  75,  90. 

Ascension,  80. 

Astant  angelorum  chori,  122. 

At  the  last,  the  great  day,  35. 

Beautiful  his  mother  standing,21. 

Beautiful  mother,  21. 

Bede,  32. 

Benedetto,  18. 

Benedictis,  18. 

Bernard,  26. 

Bertin,  St.,  85. 

Oampen,  121. 

Celano,  Thomas  de,  109. 

Charlemagne,  42. 

Chlichtoveus,  84,  85. 

Christians,  raise  your  grateful 
strain,  79. 

Classical  versification,  74. 

Coles,  Dr.,  x. 

Comforter  denominated,  7. 

Come,  thou  Spirit,  life  bestow 
ing,  50. 

Communion,  52,  90,  93. 


Contemptu  Mundi,  26,  28. 
Corona  spinea,  70. 
Crown  of  thorns,  70. 
Crucifixion,  58. 
Cur  mundus  militat,  18,  28. 
Day  of  judgment,  32,  35. 
Day  of  threatened  wrath,  111. 
Day  of  wrath,  that  final  day,  116. 
Day  of  wrath,  with  vengeance, 

118. 

De  die  judicii,  34. 
De  venter,  121. 
Deus,  12. 

Dies  Irse,  32,  108,  110,  116,  118. 
Doctor  Angelicas,  52. 
Doctor  Mellifluus,  43. 
Doctor  Mellitissimus,  43. 
Dramatic  hymn,  77. 
Easter  hymn,  74,  78. 
Ecquis  binas  columbinas,  58. 
Epitaph  of  Adam  of  St.  Victor, 

100. 

Father,  3. 

Father,  G-od,  my  God,  3. 
Feckenham,  53. 
Fides  orthodoxa,  1,  8. 
Frangipani,  75. 
Gerhard,  121. 
Giacomo,  18. 
Giacopone,  18. 
God,  13. 
G-oethe,  108. 
Grey,  Lady  Jane,  53. 


128 


INDEX. 


Use  res  peccati,  100. 

Hamerken,  121. 

Heaven,  15,  123. 

Heri  mundus,  102. 

Hermanns,  75,  84. 

Hildebert,  1,  2. 

Holy  Spirit,  6. 

Holy  Spirit  from  above,  87 

Imitation  of  Christ,  121. 

Innocent  III.,  Pope,  84. 

Jacobus  de  Benedictis,  18. 

Jacopone,  18. 

Joys  of  heaven,  123. 

Judgment,  32. 

Kempen,  121. 

Kempis,  Thomas  a,  121. 

Last  Supper,  52. 

Lavardin,  1. 

Lauda  Sion  salvatorem,  75,  90,92. 

Lord's  Supper,  90. 

Malabranca,  75. 

Mater  dolorosa,  1.8,  62,  99. 

Mater  speciosa,  18,  20. 

Milton,  vi. 

Mount  St.  Agnes,  121. 

Nati  Patri  coasqualis,  4. 

Nativity,  19. 

Neale,  Dr.,  x. 

Notker,  75,  85. 

Oh,  had  it  the  wings  of  a  dove, 

58. 

Oratio  ad  Filium,  4. 
Oratio  ad  Patrem,  2. 
Oratio  ad  Spiritum,  6. 
Oratio  ad  Trinitatem,  2. 
Over-Yssel,  121. 
Pange  lingua  gloriosi,  52,  54,  90. 
Paracletus  increatus,  6. 
Passion,  58. 
Passover,  75. 
Pentecost,  42,  75,  84. 
Portas  vestras  asternales,  80. 


;  Proses,  74,  75. 
Raise  the  everlasting  gates,  81 
Real  presence,  53,  91. 
Resurrection.  78. 
Rhyme,  v.,  vi.,  vii.,  75,  76. 
Rhythm,  vi.,  vii.,  74. 
Robert  II.,  75,  84. 
Sacrament,  52,  90,  91. 
Schaff,  Dr.,  x..  19,  63. 
Sequence,  Sequentia,  74. 
Sing,  my  tongue,  the  theme,  55. 
Sion,  14. 

Si  vis  vere  gloriari,  70. 
Son,  4. 

Spirit,  creative,  power  divine,  48. 
Spirit,  heavenly  life  bestowing,j 

Spirit,  Holy,  6,  42  to  50,  84  to  87. 

Stabat  Mater  dolorosa,  62,  99 

Stabat  Mater  speciosa,  18,  19. 

St.  Agues,  Mount,  121. 

St.  Bertin,  85. 

Stephen,  99.  102. 

Thomas  Aquinas,  52. 

Thomas  of  Celano,  109. 

Thomas  a  Kempis,  121. 

Transubstantiation,  52. 

Trench,  x..  26. 

Trinity,  1,  2,  122. 

Tusser,  26. 

Urban  IV.,  52. 

Veni,  creator  Spiritus,  42,  48,  50. 

Yeni,  sancte  Spiritus,  84,  87. 

VictinicB  Paschali  laudes,  74,  78. 

Victor,  St.,  98. 

Walter  Scott,  108. 

"Weeping  stood  his  mother,  65. 

"Why  does  the  world  serve,  29. 

Williams,  Dr.,  x. 

Would' st  thy  spirit  glory,  71. 

Yesterday  the  world,  elated,  103. 

Zion,  praise  thine  interceder,  93. 


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